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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.

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: bulb · stand · rest · racket · cabinet · fall · saw · spell

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. spell — letters
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rest — a break
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. spell — magic
  19. fall — the season
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rest — what's left
  24. saw — the tool

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