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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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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: bulb · club · can · wax · face · leaves · deal · track

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. track — a path
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. track — to keep track
  7. face — to confront
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. club — a group
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bulb — for light
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bulb — for light
  14. can — a tin
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. club — for golf
  19. track — a song
  20. wax — to grow
  21. can — a tin
  22. face — to point toward
  23. club — for dancing
  24. leaves — to go away

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