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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 116 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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fall — to drop
  4. season — of the year
  5. mug — to rob
  6. season — in sport
  7. fine — all right
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bulb — for light
  10. club — for golf
  11. wax — to grow
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fine — high quality
  14. club — a group
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mug — a face
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fall — the season
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. fall — to drop

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