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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.

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: file · lean · wax · bulb · safe · racket · sharp · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. lean — thin
  5. bulb — for light
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wax — to grow
  8. file — a document
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. sharp — clever
  14. fall — to drop
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bulb — for light
  18. file — a tool
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. file — a line of people

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