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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.

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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: bear · wax · content · safe · foot · bulb · patient · kick

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bulb — for light
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. kick — in football
  17. content — happy
  18. bear — the animal
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. content — the amount
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. safe — out of danger

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