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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pound — a weight
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. snap — to click
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. kick — in football
  24. staff — employees

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