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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
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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: charge · field · race · ruler · wax · plane · club · track

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. charge — a price
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wax — to grow
  5. charge — electricity
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. field — for sport
  9. track — a song
  10. field — farmland
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. race — humankind
  13. plane — a tool
  14. charge — in control
  15. field — a subject
  16. race — a contest
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. club — a group
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. track — a path
  22. race — the arms race
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. club — for dancing

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