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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bulb — for light
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bulb — for light
  12. club — a group
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. club — for golf
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wax — to grow
  24. drill — army training

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