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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. game — a match
  9. shower — rain
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. shower — to wash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. game — wild animals
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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