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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: bulb · wax · pitch · wind · straw · sharp · dip · bay

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bulb — for light
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bulb — for light
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pitch — completely
  9. wind — moving air
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. sharp — clever
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. sharp — exactly

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