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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: wax · racket · temple · bulb · cue · arm · can · straw

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — a hint
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. cue — a signal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. can — to be able to
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. can — a tin
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cue — for pool
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wax — to grow
  24. arm — part of the body

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