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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cell — a phone
  3. wax — to grow
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bulb — for light
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. season — in sport
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cell — in biology
  13. craft — boats
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. vault — a safe
  19. craft — a skill
  20. season — of the year
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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