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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: can · leaves · nail · wax · pit · rush · kick · tube

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. kick — in football
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. can — a tin
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. tube — a container
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pit — in a race
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wax — for sculpting

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