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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: wax · fine · rush · ruler · field · fan · row · bulb

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. field — for sport
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bulb — for light
  10. row — to paddle
  11. field — farmland
  12. row — a line
  13. fine — all right
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. field — a subject
  24. fine — high quality

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