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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: cap · bulb · cell · wax · suit · arm · snap · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cap — a hat
  5. wax — to grow
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cell — a phone
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cap — of ice
  14. snap — to click
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cell — in biology
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wax — in the ear

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