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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: swing · bulb · squash · game · row · root · mug · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. squash — to crush
  3. game — a match
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mug — to rob
  7. swing — to play on
  8. row — a line
  9. root — of a plant
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. root — of a word
  12. craft — a skill
  13. game — wild animals
  14. root — the cause
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a face
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bulb — for light
  21. swing — music
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mug — a cup
  24. craft — boats

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