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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. fine — high quality
  5. spell — magic
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wax — to grow
  10. spell — letters
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pound — a weight
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fine — all right
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pound — to hit hard

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