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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: stock · tube · pound · wax · bay · mine · fine · cap

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cap — a hat
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pound — a weight
  12. wax — to grow
  13. tube — a container
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fine — all right
  16. stock — shares
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. stock — goods
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. tube — the underground

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