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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. board — to get on
  3. object — to protest
  4. board — a committee
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bear — the animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. object — a thing
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. racket — for tennis

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