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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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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 · land · nail · tear · bulb · snap · wave · board

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. tear — to rip
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. tear — from crying
  8. land — to come down
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. land — a country
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. board — to get on
  14. snap — to click
  15. bulb — for light
  16. board — a committee
  17. land — ground
  18. tear — from crying
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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