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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 124 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 · sharp · mate · bulb · perch · wave · pit · cabinet

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mate — a friend
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mate — to breed
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mate — a partner
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bulb — for light
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bulb — for light
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wax — to grow

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