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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 120 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 · lean · capital · rush · wax · stand · hand · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. track — a path
  3. hand — in cards
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. capital — money
  7. wax — to grow
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. capital — a city
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. lean — thin
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. hand — help
  21. track — a song
  22. charge — in control
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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