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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 116 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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a document
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tube — a container
  19. file — a line of people
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wake — a trail

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