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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: racket · wake · rest · bulb · rash · present · trunk · coach

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wake — a trail
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. present — the time now
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. present — there
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. present — a gift
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rash — a series
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rest — a break
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. rest — what's left

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