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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.

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: coach · cue · wax · charge · wake · net · object · spell

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. spell — letters
  4. object — an aim
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wake — a trail
  9. charge — a price
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. object — to protest
  12. net — for catching
  13. object — a thing
  14. cue — for pool
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. net — after costs
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. charge — electricity
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cue — a signal
  22. net — in sport
  23. spell — magic
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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