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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.

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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: bank · bore · sharp · rush · perch · bulb · foot · wax

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bank — for money
  6. bulb — for light
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. foot — a measure
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bulb — for light
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rush — hurry
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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