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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.

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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: wave · wax · leaves · safe · bulb · bowl · plane · cell

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bulb — for light
  13. plane — a tool
  14. cell — a phone
  15. wax — to grow
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cell — in biology
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bowl — a dish

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