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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: rule · kick · suit · sharp · wax · staff · tube · pop

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. staff — employees
  3. wax — to grow
  4. tube — a container
  5. pop — music
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. kick — in football
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rule — government
  13. sharp — clever
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pop — to visit
  17. staff — employees
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pop — soda
  20. rule — a law
  21. suit — in cards
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. suit — clothes
  24. tube — in a tire

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