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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wax · degree · bulb · spring · lash · ball · racket · rock

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ball — a dance
  5. spring — a coil
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spring — the season
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. spring — of water
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bulb — for light
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rock — music
  22. degree — an amount
  23. lash — to lash out
  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