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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wax — to grow
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. tube — a container
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rock — a stone
  15. swing — to play on
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. rock — music
  20. object — an aim
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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