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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. spring — of water
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fork — in a road
  11. spring — the season
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. net — in sport
  16. spell — magic
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. net — for catching
  20. spell — letters
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. net — after costs
  23. spring — a coil
  24. wave — with your hand

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