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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wax — to grow
  8. tube — a container
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lean — thin
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. tube — the underground
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. perch — the fish
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. perch — for a bird

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