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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
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: tube · bear · mine · plane · wax · pass · dip · calf

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mine — for digging
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pass — a permit
  7. tube — a container
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bear — the animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bear — the animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. calf — of the leg

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