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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: lie · bay · wax · bark · charge · tube · court · wake

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. charge — electricity
  3. tube — a container
  4. court — of a king
  5. charge — a price
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. court — of law
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. court — for sport
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. charge — in control
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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