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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. court — of a king
  8. march — the month
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. court — for sport
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bulb — for light
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. mark — a trace
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. court — of law
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mark — to pay attention

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