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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 116 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: key · charge · tube · wax · ball · bound · rock · drill

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. charge — in control
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. tube — the underground
  6. key — the most important part
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. charge — a price
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. ball — a great time
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. tube — a container
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rock — music
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bound — obliged
  22. drill — army training
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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