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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 116 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: charge · firm · cell · kid · staff · track · wax · coach

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. staff — employees
  3. cell — in biology
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. charge — a price
  8. staff — a stick
  9. charge — electricity
  10. staff — employees
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. firm — decided
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. firm — steady
  20. charge — in control
  21. track — to keep track
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. firm — a company
  24. coach — a trainer

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