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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: board · suit · lash · last · racket · net · bulb · roll

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. last — finally
  11. roll — a cake
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. last — final
  14. net — after costs
  15. suit — in cards
  16. board — to get on
  17. net — in sport
  18. board — a committee
  19. last — to go on
  20. net — for catching
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. roll — a list

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