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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: ball · wave · racket · rest · scale · plane · bulb · last

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ball — a great time
  4. last — final
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a dance
  11. last — finally
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rest — a break
  19. scale — in music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. last — to go on
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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