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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bank — of a river
  7. root — of a word
  8. wax — to grow
  9. bank — for money
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bank — for money
  14. kid — child
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. root — the cause
  24. kid — to tease

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