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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 116 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: fork · present · pound · leaves · bulb · wax · content · straw

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bulb — for light
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. present — a gift
  14. wax — to grow
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. content — happy
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pound — a weight
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. content — the amount
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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