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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 120 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: fork · bulb · board · band · can · scale · wax · racket

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. band — a music group
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. band — a ring
  8. scale — in music
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. board — a committee
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wax — to grow
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. board — to get on
  18. scale — size or range
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. can — a tin
  21. fork — in a road
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bulb — for light
  24. can — a tin

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