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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 · tube · toast · bay · bulb · rest · bore · pitcher

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. rest — a break
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. tube — a container
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rest — what's left
  11. toast — bread
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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