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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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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: dip · wax · hand · bulb · clip · rush · bear · safe

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bear — the animal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. clip — a video
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rush — hurry
  18. clip — to cut
  19. wax — to grow
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rush — to hurry

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