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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · kid · foot · rash · rock · band · wax · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. kid — child
  8. rock — music
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. drill — the tool
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rash — a series
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. kid — to tease
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wax — to grow
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. foot — the bottom

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