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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.

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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: stand · stick · charge · wax · wake · track · spring · bulb

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. charge — in control
  4. track — a song
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spring — a coil
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. charge — a price
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. spring — the season
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. spring — of water

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