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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · lean · charge · stem · file · stand · fork · board

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. lean — thin
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. file — a tool
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. file — a line of people
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stem — to come from
  16. charge — a price
  17. file — a document
  18. lean — to bend
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. charge — in control
  23. board — to get on
  24. lean — to rest against

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