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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: saw · sharp · tube · mine · present · wax · suit · face

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. face — to point toward
  5. tube — a container
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wax — to grow
  8. present — there
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. suit — in cards
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. face — part of the head
  15. mine — for digging
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. face — to confront
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. present — the time now
  20. sharp — clever
  21. saw — the tool
  22. present — a gift
  23. suit — clothes
  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