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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: track · bulb · swing · present · wind · charge · wax · mark

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. mark — a grade
  5. track — to keep track
  6. swing — music
  7. present — the time now
  8. track — a path
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. present — there
  19. swing — in golf
  20. charge — in control
  21. track — a song
  22. charge — a price
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mark — a trace

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