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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 116 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.

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: suit · wax · tube · lie · bulb · current · leaves · hide

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. current — of water
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lie — to recline
  20. current — electric
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bulb — for light

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