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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. can — a tin
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. scale — size or range
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bulb — for light
  17. can — a tin
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. scale — in music
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. branch — a division

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