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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.

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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: lean · object · wax · firm · content · game · bulb · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. firm — steady
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bulb — for light
  6. content — the amount
  7. firm — decided
  8. foot — a measure
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. content — happy
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lean — thin
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. game — a match
  17. object — an aim
  18. game — wild animals
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. object — to protest
  21. firm — a company
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. object — a thing
  24. game — a kind of play

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