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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 116 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: net · wax · stick · bulb · drill · present · file · ball

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. file — a tool
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. drill — army training
  17. ball — a dance
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. net — after costs
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ball — a great time
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — the tool

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