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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · cap · lash · wax · bear · bulb · bowl · rush

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. cap — of ice
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bulb — for light
  7. content — happy
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. content — the amount
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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