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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. current — of water
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bass — low music
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. current — electric
  15. bass — the fish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. current — happening now
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — the tool

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