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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: prune · face · safe · bear · wax · straw · bulb · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wax — to grow
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. face — to confront
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bear — the animal
  8. face — part of the head
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bear — the animal
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. face — to point toward
  22. ball — a great time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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