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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lean — thin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bulb — for light
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. spell — a short time
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. spell — letters
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. plane — a tool
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. spell — magic
  24. racket — a loud noise

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