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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 · file · race · nail · bay · pop · root · wax

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. race — a contest
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. root — of a word
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. file — a line of people
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pop — to visit
  14. race — humankind
  15. file — a tool
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. tube — a container
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. race — the arms race
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. tube — in a tire
  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