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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 · cap · can · straw · sharp · wax · deal · bay

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. can — a tin
  19. wax — to grow
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. can — a tin
  23. deal — to handle
  24. sharp — clever

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