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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. hand — help
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — a hole
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. club — a group
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. club — for golf
  20. hand — in cards
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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