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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: wax · plane · nail · bound · rash · track · can · tube

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. can — to be able to
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bound — certain
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bound — tied together
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rash — a series
  15. can — a tin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wax — to grow
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bound — obliged
  23. track — a song
  24. nail — for a hammer

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