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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 116 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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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 · fine · safe · wax · rest · kid · tube · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  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. cap — a hat
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kid — to tease
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fine — high quality
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a lid
  14. kid — child
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. tube — the underground
  18. fine — all right
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. rest — a break
  21. tube — a container
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fine — a penalty
  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