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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: row · last · fall · straw · charge · object · wax · tube

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. object — an aim
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. row — a line
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. fall — to drop
  7. row — to paddle
  8. charge — in control
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. tube — a container
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. charge — a price
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. last — final
  15. fall — the season
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. object — a thing
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fall — to drop
  21. tube — the underground
  22. charge — electricity
  23. object — to protest
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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