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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: wax · vault · coach · press · charge · wake · stem · toast

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. wax — to grow
  8. press — a publisher
  9. wake — a trail
  10. toast — bread
  11. stem — to come from
  12. press — to push
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. charge — electricity
  19. press — newspapers
  20. charge — in control
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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