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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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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: row · wax · racket · shower · can · mate · court · object

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. court — for sport
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. object — an aim
  5. mate — a friend
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. object — to protest
  9. mate — to breed
  10. court — of law
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. can — a tin
  17. object — a thing
  18. shower — rain
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. shower — to wash
  21. court — of a king
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wax — to grow
  24. racket — for tennis

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