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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: bowl · bank · racket · bulb · pitcher · mouse · stand · calf

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bank — for money
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bank — for money

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