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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lie — to recline
  7. drill — a practice
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bear — the animal
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pitch — completely
  23. lean — thin
  24. mine — an explosive

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