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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
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: cabinet · bulb · wax · clip · game · stem · suit · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. clip — for paper
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. clip — to cut
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. game — wild animals
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wax — to grow
  15. clip — a video
  16. game — a match
  17. spring — the season
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. suit — in cards
  23. spring — of water
  24. bulb — for light

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