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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 116 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 · net · can · staff · racket · tube · craft · club

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. tube — the underground
  3. craft — a skill
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. staff — employees
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. craft — boats
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. wax — to grow
  19. staff — a stick
  20. tube — a container
  21. net — for catching
  22. staff — employees
  23. can — a tin
  24. racket — for tennis

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