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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: row · roll · rush · content · sharp · tube · wax · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. suit — in cards
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. suit — clothes
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. content — the amount
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. roll — a cake
  13. tube — a container
  14. row — a line
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. content — happy
  19. row — to paddle
  20. roll — a list
  21. tube — the underground
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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