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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: wax · can · track · chair · pit · staff · ruler · content

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. pit — in a race
  3. chair — a leader
  4. track — a song
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. staff — employees
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. track — a path
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. can — a tin
  14. staff — a stick
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pit — a hole
  17. content — happy
  18. content — the amount
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. track — to keep track
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. staff — employees
  23. can — a tin
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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