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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 116 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: rock · nail · rush · clip · wax · safe · bulb · bore

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — to grow
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bore — to tire
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rock — music
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. clip — a video
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bulb — for light

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