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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: rock · wax · club · charge · trunk · roll · pass · fork

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rock — a stone
  4. roll — a list
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. roll — a cake
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. charge — a price
  10. fork — in a road
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. club — a group
  14. charge — in control
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. club — for golf
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wax — to grow
  21. rock — music
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rock — to move gently

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