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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.

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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: drill · mark · wave · bowl · bulb · racket · board · row

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bulb — for light
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. drill — army training
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. drill — the tool
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. row — a line

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