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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: cabinet · bulb · vault · racket · spring · fork · leaves · pitcher

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spring — the season
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. spring — a coil
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. vault — a safe
  23. spring — of water
  24. bulb — for light

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