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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.

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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: drill · dip · tube · rest · safe · wax · racket · cell

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. drill — the tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rest — what's left
  9. drill — army training
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. cell — a phone
  13. rest — what's left
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tube — the underground
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. tube — a container
  18. cell — in biology
  19. drill — a practice
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rest — a break
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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