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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mouse · bark · band · bulb · last · racket · jam · foot

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. last — finally
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. band — a music group
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. last — final
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. last — to go on
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. band — a ring
  24. jam — in traffic

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