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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: club · wind · wax · dip · cabinet · can · pop · nail

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. pop — to visit
  9. club — a group
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. can — to be able to
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. club — for golf
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  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