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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 116 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: wax · degree · sharp · key · bulb · kid · firm · lash

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bulb — for light
  7. degree — an amount
  8. kid — child
  9. key — the most important part
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. key — in music
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. degree — from a university
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wax — to grow
  18. key — for a lock
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. firm — decided
  21. bulb — for light
  22. degree — temperature
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. kid — to tease

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