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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: pop · tube · season · wax · pass · fan · tear · safe

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wax — to grow
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. season — of the year
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. season — in sport
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pop — soda
  15. tube — a container
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pop — music
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pass — a permit
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. tube — in a tire

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