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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. season — of the year
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. season — in sport
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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