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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: charge · staff · row · can · stock · tube · wax · perch

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. can — a tin
  3. charge — electricity
  4. staff — employees
  5. charge — in control
  6. row — a line
  7. staff — employees
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — a container
  10. row — to paddle
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. can — a tin
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. perch — the fish
  21. can — to be able to
  22. charge — a price
  23. staff — a stick
  24. wax — in the ear

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