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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — to grow
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. root — of a word
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. scale — in music
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mouse — the animal

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