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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: fork · plane · rash · bear · wax · prune · racket · bulb

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bulb — for light
  11. prune — to trim
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. rash — a series
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bear — the animal
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. racket — for tennis

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