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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: track · file · wax · charge · bore · content · pass · fan

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. file — a document
  6. track — a path
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. track — to keep track
  10. pass — a permit
  11. content — the amount
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. file — a line of people
  15. content — happy
  16. track — a song
  17. charge — electricity
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bore — to drill
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bore — to tire
  23. file — a tool
  24. fan — a supporter

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