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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: stock · kick · charge · wax · fall · dip · file · can

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. file — a document
  3. fall — to drop
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. file — a tool
  8. dip — to sink
  9. can — a tin
  10. stock — shares
  11. charge — in control
  12. fall — the season
  13. can — a tin
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. can — to be able to
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. kick — in football
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. file — a line of people
  23. charge — a price
  24. kick — a thrill

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