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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bulb — for light
  3. staff — a stick
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. staff — employees
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. roll — a cake
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. staff — employees
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wax — to grow
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. roll — a list
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. present — there

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