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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.

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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: date · craft · lie · hand · bulb · rock · racket · band

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. hand — in cards
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. craft — boats
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rock — music
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. hand — help
  22. craft — a skill
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. band — a rubber band

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