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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bulb — for light
  4. press — to push
  5. club — a group
  6. row — a line
  7. craft — a skill
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wax — to grow
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. club — for golf
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — newspapers
  20. club — for dancing
  21. press — a publisher
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. craft — boats
  24. row — to paddle

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