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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
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: wax · fork · tube · bulb · clip · saw · swing · press

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. press — a publisher
  9. tube — a container
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. wax — to grow
  12. swing — music
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. swing — in golf
  15. clip — a video
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. press — to push
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. clip — for paper
  24. press — newspapers

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