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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. clip — to cut
  3. mark — a grade
  4. clip — for paper
  5. court — of law
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bulb — for light
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. clip — a video
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pass — a permit
  15. court — for sport
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — a trace
  18. court — of a king
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. pass — to succeed

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