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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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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: wax · kick · firm · bulb · lie · pass · cold · perch

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pass — a permit
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cold — not warm
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cold — an illness
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — a company
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. firm — steady
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. firm — decided
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lie — to recline
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — a thrill

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