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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: wax · net · dip · track · rule · charge · season · craft

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rule — a law
  4. net — in sport
  5. charge — a price
  6. track — a path
  7. craft — a skill
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. season — in sport
  12. track — a song
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. track — to keep track
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. net — after costs
  20. season — of the year
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wax — to grow
  23. net — for catching
  24. rule — government

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