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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
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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: track · key · can · wax · game · tube · drill · hand

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. drill — the tool
  3. game — a match
  4. key — the most important part
  5. tube — a container
  6. game — wild animals
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. key — in music
  15. can — a tin
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — army training
  20. key — for a lock
  21. can — a tin
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wax — to grow
  24. hand — help

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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