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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 116 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: tube · object · stick · fine · track · band · wax · snap

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. object — an aim
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. band — a ring
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. snap — to click
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. band — a music group
  12. track — a path
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. object — a thing
  15. tube — the underground
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. object — to protest
  18. wax — to grow
  19. tube — a container
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. fine — all right
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. track — a song

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