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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.

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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: pound · racket · toast · mug · bulb · root · row · march

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. row — to paddle
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mug — to rob
  6. row — a line
  7. bulb — for light
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. march — music
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mug — a face
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mug — a cup
  16. march — the month
  17. root — of a word
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. toast — bread
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. march — the month

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