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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.

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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · wax · can · plane · band · firm · snap

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. can — a tin
  3. band — a ring
  4. tube — a container
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. firm — a company
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. wax — to grow
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. band — a music group
  15. tube — the underground
  16. can — a tin
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. firm — decided
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. firm — steady
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wax — for sculpting

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