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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: racket · season · bulb · lie · wake · pitcher · board · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. season — of the year
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fall — the season
  19. board — to get on
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lie — to recline
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wake — before a funeral

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