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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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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: bulb · cabinet · fall · date · saw · wax · firm · pass

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — steady
  7. bulb — for light
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. firm — a company
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. date — the fruit
  13. firm — decided
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pass — a permit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bulb — for light
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fall — the season
  24. wax — to grow

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