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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: ruler · track · fine · chip · ball · wax · shower · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fine — high quality
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fine — all right
  6. track — a path
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. wax — to grow
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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