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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mouse · pit · fan · rash · leaves · wax · bulb · stick

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rash — a series
  24. wax — for sculpting

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