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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: rush · wax · ball · bulb · stand · nail · drill · band

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. band — a ring
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. drill — army training
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ball — a great time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stand — to bear
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. band — a music group
  23. rush — to hurry
  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