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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: safe · clip · ball · wax · bulb · fork · leaves · stock

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. clip — to cut
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. clip — for paper
  8. clip — a video
  9. stock — goods
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stock — shares
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fork — in a road
  18. ball — a dance
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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