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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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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: kick · bulb · fork · ball · wax · perch · lash · craft

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. wax — to grow
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ball — a dance
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. kick — in football
  24. craft — boats

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