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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: track · plane · nail · rush · cap · bound · kid · wax

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. track — a song
  5. cap — a lid
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bound — obliged
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. kid — child
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cap — a hat
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rush — hurry
  21. track — a path
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. kid — to tease

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