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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: wax · fine · pop · clip · coach · bulb · cabinet · temple

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fine — all right
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pop — music
  21. clip — to cut
  22. clip — for paper
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bulb — of a plant

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