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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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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rock — music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. kick — in football
  18. cabinet — ministers

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