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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.

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: mine · tube · fine · object · file · wax · nail · stick

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. tube — the underground
  6. file — a tool
  7. tube — a container
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mine — for digging
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wax — to grow
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. file — a document
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fine — all right
  21. file — a line of people
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. object — to protest

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