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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mug — a face
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. fine — all right
  9. rash — a series
  10. face — to confront
  11. fine — high quality
  12. face — part of the head
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wax — to grow
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rash — hasty
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — to rob

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