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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: deal · suit · drill · mark · tube · wax · fork · bay

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mark — a trace
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fork — in a road
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. drill — army training
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. drill — a practice

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