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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.

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: bulb · wax · wave · bear · court · land · suit · press

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. land — ground
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. court — of a king
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. court — for sport
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. suit — to fit
  12. press — to push
  13. land — to come down
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wax — to grow
  18. court — of law
  19. bulb — for light
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. land — a country
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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