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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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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: lean · mark · coach · bear · content · wax · bulb · pass

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mark — a trace
  5. content — the amount
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lean — thin
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. mark — a grade
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. lean — to bend
  24. coach — a trainer

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