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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 120 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.

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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 · rock · bulb · stock · squash · game · pitcher · pitch

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — wild animals
  9. stock — shares
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rock — music
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. game — a match
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stock — goods
  24. pitch — completely

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