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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bark — to shout
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. can — a tin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. rest — what's left
  24. safe — a strongbox

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