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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 116 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: ball · race · bulb · hand · wax · deal · racket · lie

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a great time
  8. hand — help
  9. race — a contest
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. race — humankind
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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