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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 120 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
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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: chest · wax · bulb · object · key · mark · stock · calf

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stock — shares
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stock — goods
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. object — to protest
  16. wax — to grow
  17. object — an aim
  18. key — in music
  19. object — a thing
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. key — the most important part
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chest — a box

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