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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. band — a music group
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bulb — for light
  13. suit — in cards
  14. band — a ring
  15. bear — the animal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mate — to breed
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bulb — of a plant

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