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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: safe · wax · coach · file · root · object · bulb · rush

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. rush — hurry
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a document
  12. bulb — for light
  13. root — the cause
  14. wax — to grow
  15. root — of a plant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. file — a line of people
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. root — of a word

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