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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. wax — to grow
  6. can — a tin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wake — a trail
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fork — in a road

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