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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. march — the month
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. key — in music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — the most important part
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. march — music
  24. wax — to grow

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