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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.

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: bay · row · wax · fine · suit · bulb · lean · rule

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lean — thin
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bulb — for light
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rule — government
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rule — a law
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wax — to grow
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. row — a line
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wax — in the ear

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