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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.

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: wax · chip · tube · pit · bay · coach · track · mark

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — to grow
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. track — a song
  10. chip — to eat
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. track — a path
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. track — to keep track
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. pit — a hole

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