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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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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: wax · bay · season · branch · firm · date · bulb · cabinet

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. firm — steady
  5. season — of the year
  6. firm — decided
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. branch — a division
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. date — the fruit
  24. season — in sport

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