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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: suit · nail · wax · stick · tube · cap · branch · drill

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wax — to grow
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cap — a lid
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. tube — a container
  19. drill — the tool
  20. branch — a division
  21. cap — of ice
  22. tube — the underground
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cap — a hat

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