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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · bulb · file · wax · key · mate · lie · patient

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. mate — to breed
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — all right
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mate — a friend
  10. wax — to grow
  11. mate — a partner
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bulb — for light
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. file — a tool
  20. key — in music
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. key — the most important part
  23. file — a document
  24. fine — a penalty

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