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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bank — for money
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. can — a tin
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. craft — boats
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. can — to be able to
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rule — government
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bank — for money
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rule — a law
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. can — a tin
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bore — to drill

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