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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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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. tube — the underground
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. row — to paddle
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pass — a permit
  21. tube — a container
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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