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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.

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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: mug · present · board · wax · bulb · spring · ball · rock

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mug — a face
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mug — a cup
  6. present — there
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. wax — to grow
  10. spring — the season
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bulb — for light
  14. spring — of water
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. present — the time now
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rock — music
  24. present — a gift

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