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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bulb — for light
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bulb — for light
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. spring — a coil
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. spring — of water
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cabinet — ministers

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