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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: key · rule · pound · wax · rash · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. rash — a series
  4. pound — a weight
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — a law
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rule — government
  14. rash — hasty
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. key — in music

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