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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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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: bay · tube · mug · last · bass · can · dip · wax

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bass — the fish
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bass — low music
  6. tube — the underground
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. can — a tin
  10. last — to go on
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mug — a face
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. dip — to sink
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. last — finally
  17. can — a tin
  18. mug — to rob
  19. tube — a container
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wax — to grow
  24. last — final

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