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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. spell — letters
  3. clip — a video
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bank — for money
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bank — for money
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bulb — for light
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spell — magic
  21. clip — to cut
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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