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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cap — a hat
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bulb — for light
  24. leaves — to go away

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