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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.

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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: content · fork · bulb · lash · wax · wave · temple · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. content — the amount
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cue — a signal
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. content — happy
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bulb — for light

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