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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · wax · dip · lash · craft · spring

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. dip — to sink
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — the season
  11. craft — boats
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. spring — of water
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bulb — for light
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bulb — of a plant

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