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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: can · bulb · ruler · pitch · bat · clip · roll · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — a group
  3. bat — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. club — for golf
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. clip — for paper
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. can — a tin
  15. roll — a cake
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. roll — a list
  20. can — a tin
  21. clip — a video
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. clip — to cut

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