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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · staff · hide · fork · wax · tube

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. ball — a great time
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. wax — to grow
  8. tube — a container
  9. staff — employees
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. staff — employees
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fork — in a road
  18. hide — to keep secret

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