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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
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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 · file · tube · fall · band · firm · jam · rock

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. file — a line of people
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. band — a ring
  7. fall — to drop
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. fall — to drop
  10. file — a document
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. firm — steady
  13. rock — music
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fall — the season
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. band — a music group
  19. rock — a stone
  20. tube — a container
  21. firm — a company
  22. tube — the underground
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. file — a tool

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