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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 120 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: swing · bound · rule · lie · charge · stem · wax · bulb

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rule — government
  5. charge — a price
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bound — obliged
  9. rule — a law
  10. bulb — for light
  11. swing — music
  12. bound — tied together
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. charge — in control
  19. bound — certain
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stem — to come from

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