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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bank — for money
  10. bulb — for light
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bank — of a river
  13. row — a line
  14. bank — for money
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bulb — for light

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