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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. object — to protest
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. can — a tin
  10. tube — a container
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. object — an aim
  15. wax — to grow
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. object — a thing
  18. kick — in football
  19. fine — high quality
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. prune — to trim
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fine — all right

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