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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.

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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: date · racket · bore · chip · bulb · wax · bound · craft

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. date — the fruit
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bore — to tire
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bound — obliged
  11. craft — boats
  12. bore — to drill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bound — certain
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. chip — to eat
  24. wax — to grow

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