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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: net · row · straw · racket · bulb · toast · wax · last

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. toast — bread
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. last — finally
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. net — for catching
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. net — after costs
  21. row — a line
  22. last — final
  23. net — in sport
  24. last — to go on

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