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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: rest · bulb · saw · date · stand · prune · racket · wax

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. prune — to trim
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stand — to bear
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rest — what's left
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. date — the fruit
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wax — to grow
  24. date — on the calendar

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