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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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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: cap · wax · rule · foot · pass · bulb · rock · wind

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rule — a law
  4. rock — music
  5. rule — government
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pass — a permit
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. foot — a measure
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wind — moving air

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