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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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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: pop · bay · hide · tube · plane · rule · wax · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rule — a law
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pop — music
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pop — to visit
  18. wax — to grow
  19. tube — a container
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pop — soda
  22. rule — government
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. hide — to keep secret

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