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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
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: racket · mouse · mug · prune · spring · ball · bulb · bark

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bark — to shout
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. spring — a coil
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spring — the season
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mug — a face
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. spring — of water
  24. ball — a round shape

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