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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bulb · ball · mark · bay · tube · wake · last · rest

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ball — a dance
  9. last — final
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. last — finally
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rest — a break
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rest — what's left
  20. last — to go on
  21. mark — a trace
  22. tube — a container
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mark — a grade

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