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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — for sport
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. file — a line of people
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. file — a tool
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cap — a hat
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. file — a document
  15. firm — a company
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. court — of law
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. court — of a king
  24. bulb — for light

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