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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: firm · fan · wax · bound · nail · tube · straw · leaves

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bound — certain
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bound — tied together
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. firm — decided
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. firm — steady
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bound — obliged
  19. firm — a company
  20. tube — a container
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. nail — for a hammer

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