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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. kick — in football
  4. wake — a trail
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wax — to grow
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kid — child
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. tube — a container
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bulb — of a plant

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