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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: game · suit · bowl · row · bulb · pitcher · straw · object

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. game — wild animals
  4. object — an aim
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. object — a thing
  10. suit — clothes
  11. object — to protest
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. game — a match
  15. row — a line
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. suit — to fit
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bulb — for light
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. straw — dry grass

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