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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: charge · swing · rush · object · hand · stem · stand · wax

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. swing — to play on
  10. hand — in cards
  11. charge — in control
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stem — to come from
  17. object — a thing
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hand — help
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. object — an aim
  23. stand — to bear
  24. charge — a price

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