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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: mug · track · bulb · march · object · root · board · racket

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — to get on
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. object — a thing
  7. mug — to rob
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bulb — for light
  10. object — an aim
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. track — a song
  13. march — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. object — to protest
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. mug — a cup
  19. root — of a word
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mug — a face
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. march — the month

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