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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: charge · rule · mark · saw · rest · wax · spell · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. charge — electricity
  3. content — happy
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. mark — a grade
  7. saw — the tool
  8. spell — magic
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rule — a law
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. charge — a price
  13. wax — to grow
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — in control
  20. spell — letters
  21. content — the amount
  22. rule — government
  23. rest — a break
  24. wax — for sculpting

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