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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: tube · wax · temple · net · board · suit · cap · rush

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. board — a committee
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cap — a hat
  6. net — after costs
  7. tube — a container
  8. cap — a lid
  9. net — in sport
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. rush — hurry
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cap — of ice
  15. board — to get on
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. net — for catching
  23. wax — to grow
  24. tube — the underground

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