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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: wax · fork · shower · racket · bowl · mug · coach · tube

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wax — to grow
  5. shower — rain
  6. mug — a face
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. tube — the underground
  16. shower — to wash
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fork — in a road
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. tube — a container

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