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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: straw · wax · fine · bulb · bound · wake · coach · temple

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fine — high quality
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bulb — for light
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. fine — all right
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. wake — a trail
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wax — to grow

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