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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. club — a group
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. present — the time now
  8. club — for golf
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hand — in cards
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wax — to grow
  17. present — a gift
  18. club — for dancing
  19. present — there
  20. cap — of ice
  21. hand — help
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rush — to hurry

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