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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. row — to paddle
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. tube — a container
  5. file — a tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — to bear
  10. file — a document
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tube — the underground
  18. file — a line of people
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fan — a supporter

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