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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.

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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: lean · bay · rush · bulb · wax · fork · leaves · wake

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. lean — thin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. leaves — lets stay

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