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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.

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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: jam · wax · cabinet · mate · pitcher · object · club · tube

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. object — to protest
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. object — an aim
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. club — for golf
  9. wax — to grow
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mate — to breed
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. club — a group
  16. mate — a friend
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. object — a thing
  21. tube — a container
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. tube — the underground

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