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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · wax · charge · stock · pound · date · track · foot

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. track — a path
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. charge — a price
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. charge — in control
  10. pass — a permit
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. date — the fruit
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pound — a weight
  20. wax — to grow
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com