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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bound — certain
  5. drill — the tool
  6. staff — employees
  7. bulb — for light
  8. drill — a practice
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. suit — clothes
  12. staff — employees
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wake — a trail
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wax — to grow
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. drill — army training
  23. bound — obliged
  24. staff — a stick

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