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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: ground · suit · wax · court · bulb · saw · jam · straw

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bulb — for light
  4. court — of a king
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ground — a position
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. ground — the earth
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. suit — clothes
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. suit — to fit
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. wax — to grow
  19. ground — crushed
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of law
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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