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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: wax · pound · lash · fork · pop · pit · fine · tube

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pop — music
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fine — high quality
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pop — to visit
  18. fine — all right
  19. pit — a hole
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pop — soda
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. tube — a container

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