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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: wax · rule · nail · tube · rest · arm · can · lash

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. can — a tin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. can — to be able to
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rest — a break
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rule — a law
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rest — what's left
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. wax — to grow
  24. can — a tin

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