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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. content — the amount
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. wax — to grow
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. shower — to wash
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. trunk — of a tree

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