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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: object · bulb · race · date · wake · racket · pitcher · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. wake — a trail
  6. object — an aim
  7. bulb — for light
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rest — what's left
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. race — a contest
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rest — a break
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bulb — for light
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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