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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: tube · bulb · fan · plane · stand · wax · dip · snap

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. dip — to sink
  13. tube — a container
  14. stand — to bear
  15. snap — to click
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bulb — of a plant

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