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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · leaves · perch · racket · mine · spring · rash · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mine — for digging
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rash — a series
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bulb — for light

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