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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: bulb · racket · wake · saw · mine · bank · suit · straw

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bulb — for light
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mine — for digging
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bank — for money
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. saw — the tool
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bank — for money
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. saw — the tool

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