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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: tube · track · wax · coach · season · nail · lean · dip

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. wax — to grow
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. season — in sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. tube — the underground
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. lean — to bend
  12. track — to keep track
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. track — a song
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. season — of the year
  21. tube — a container
  22. track — a path
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. dip — to sink

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