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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
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 · board · spring · rush · racket · craft · stick · tube

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. board — to get on
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. tube — the underground
  6. craft — boats
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. spring — the season
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rush — hurry
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bulb — for light
  24. spring — a coil

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