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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wax — to grow
  4. spell — magic
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. object — to protest
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. spell — a short time
  12. object — an aim
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. object — a thing
  15. dip — to sink
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. spell — letters

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