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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 120 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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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: rest · bank · rock · nail · pitch · wax · tube · rule

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rest — a break
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — music
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rule — government
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bank — for money
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. nail — on a finger

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