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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: bulb · firm · branch · cap · mouse · lean · wax · plane

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. plane — a tool
  6. branch — a division
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lean — thin
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. cap — a hat
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. firm — steady
  24. lean — to bend

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