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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: jam · wax · mug · wind · ground · snap · foot · bulb

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bulb — for light
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. snap — to click
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. mug — a cup
  19. ground — crushed
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mug — a face
  22. ground — a position
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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