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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. board — to get on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ground — the earth
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. board — a committee
  10. ground — crushed
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ground — a position
  14. can — a tin
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. can — a tin
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. wax — in the ear

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