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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — thin
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. shower — to wash
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rock — music
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rock — a stone
  17. shower — rain
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. safe — a strongbox

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