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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: roll · racket · pitcher · tube · bear · spell · stick · bowl

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. tube — a container
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. spell — magic
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. spell — a short time
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spell — letters
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bear — the animal

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