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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. object — an aim
  4. wax — to grow
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. prune — to trim
  7. object — to protest
  8. band — a ring
  9. bank — for money
  10. bat — the animal
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. band — a music group
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. object — a thing
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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