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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ground — a position
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. ground — the earth
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. ground — crushed
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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