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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. firm — steady
  3. bulb — for light
  4. capital — a city
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. capital — money
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wax — to grow
  12. spring — of water
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rock — music
  20. spring — a coil
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. spring — the season
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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