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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. race — a contest
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wax — to grow
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — the arms race
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. race — humankind
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. fan — a supporter

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