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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: mug · hide · tube · safe · mark · stand · clip · wax

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mug — a face
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. clip — to cut
  13. tube — a container
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mug — a cup
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wax — to grow
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mug — to rob
  24. clip — a video

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