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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: hand · rush · pound · bulb · ruler · wax · stick · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. hand — in cards
  3. tube — a container
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. hand — help
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rush — hurry

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