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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: band · deal · pass · chip · wax · bulb · cap · stick

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — of ice
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. band — a music group
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cap — a hat
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. deal — to handle
  23. band — a ring
  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