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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.

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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: wax · saw · tube · rush · row · dip · object · capital

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. row — a line
  4. object — an aim
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. wax — to grow
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. capital — money
  12. row — to paddle
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. object — a thing
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. object — to protest
  17. saw — the tool
  18. tube — a container
  19. rush — hurry
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. tube — the underground
  24. capital — a city

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