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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: racket · scale · track · roll · bulb · kid · swing · toast

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. kid — to tease
  5. roll — a list
  6. bulb — for light
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. toast — bread
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. roll — a cake
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. kid — child
  18. bulb — for light
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. swing — to play on
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. scale — for weighing

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