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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. shower — rain
  6. drill — the tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. drill — a practice
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cap — a lid
  20. content — the amount
  21. wax — to grow
  22. content — happy
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. drill — army training

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