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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.

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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: mine · mark · bulb · wave · racket · wake · coach · deal

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bulb — for light
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mine — for digging
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. deal — to handle
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. deal — an agreement

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