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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.

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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: suit · dip · tube · face · wax · mark · ground · hide

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ground — a position
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. face — part of the head
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ground — the earth
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. face — to confront
  12. tube — the underground
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. ground — crushed
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. face — to point toward
  21. tube — a container
  22. wax — to grow
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mark — a grade

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