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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 120 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: straw · field · suit · wax · bulb · cue · cap · calf

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. cue — a signal
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. suit — to fit
  14. field — farmland
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. suit — clothes
  18. field — for sport
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cap — a hat
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cap — a lid

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