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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bulb — for light
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. club — for golf
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bulb — for light
  8. roll — a cake
  9. firm — steady
  10. pop — soda
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. club — a group
  14. pop — music
  15. club — for dancing
  16. firm — decided
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. firm — a company
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pop — to visit

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