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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: wake · ruler · bulb · present · stand · racket

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stand — to bear
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wake — a trail
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bulb — of a plant

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