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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bulb — for light
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ball — a great time
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mug — to rob
  16. ball — a dance
  17. object — a thing
  18. mug — a face
  19. object — to protest
  20. content — happy
  21. mug — a cup
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. object — an aim

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