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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.

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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: land · rush · object · rock · bulb · content · racket · wax

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. land — to come down
  8. content — the amount
  9. bulb — for light
  10. content — happy
  11. land — ground
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bulb — for light
  15. land — a country
  16. rush — hurry
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rock — music
  19. wax — to grow
  20. object — an aim
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. content — videos and posts

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