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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
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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: cabinet · safe · wax · tube · suit · root · tear · straw

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. tube — the underground
  7. root — of a word
  8. suit — to fit
  9. tube — a container
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. tear — from crying
  14. root — the cause
  15. wax — to grow
  16. tear — to rip
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. root — of a plant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. safe — out of danger

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