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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: race · nail · wax · straw · lie · bore · tube · coach

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bore — to drill
  7. race — humankind
  8. tube — the underground
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wax — to grow
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. tube — a container
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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