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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 120 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: racket · bound · stand · foot · wax · bay · bulb · nail

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bound — obliged
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bound — certain
  23. stand — to bear
  24. foot — 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