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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: spring · can · chest · mug · wax · deal · bulb · bear

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spring — of water
  5. can — a tin
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chest — a box
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. can — to be able to
  12. chest — of your body
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. spring — the season
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mug — a face
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. chest — of your body
  24. deal — an agreement

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