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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: net · wax · fine · squash · bulb · tube · leaves · temple

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. tube — the underground
  10. net — in sport
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. fine — all right
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. net — for catching
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bulb — for light
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wax — for sculpting

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