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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. spell — letters
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pitch — completely
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. current — of water
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. current — electric
  15. wax — to grow
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. current — happening now
  21. bulb — for light
  22. deal — to handle
  23. spell — magic
  24. snap — to click

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