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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: cell · wax · chip · scale · lie · fine · charge · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. track — a song
  2. cell — in biology
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fine — high quality
  8. track — to keep track
  9. chip — to eat
  10. charge — a price
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — a path
  15. chip — for betting
  16. scale — size or range
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — in control
  19. scale — in music
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cell — a phone
  23. lie — an untruth
  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