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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rush — hurry
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fine — all right
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fall — the season
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wake — a trail
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fine — a penalty

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