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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. scale — in music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. scale — size or range
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bulb — for light
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wax — to grow
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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