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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wax · charge · key · suit · stock · land · current · object

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wax — to grow
  3. land — a country
  4. charge — electricity
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stock — goods
  9. current — of water
  10. suit — clothes
  11. object — to protest
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. suit — to fit
  15. object — an aim
  16. land — ground
  17. object — a thing
  18. current — electric
  19. stock — shares
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. current — happening now
  22. land — to come down
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. stock — a soup base

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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