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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: firm · rush · court · charge · wax · wake · straw · can

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. can — a tin
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. wax — to grow
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. court — of law
  15. firm — steady
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — for sport
  24. can — to be able to

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