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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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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. charge — in control
  4. bank — of a river
  5. charge — electricity
  6. shower — rain
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bank — for money
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wax — to grow
  15. tube — a container
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bank — for money
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. wax — in the ear

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