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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: present · wax · tube · coach · wake · temple · band · firm

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wake — a trail
  4. present — the time now
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. firm — decided
  9. tube — a container
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. firm — steady
  12. band — a music group
  13. firm — a company
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. present — there
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. band — a ring
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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