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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: game · roll · bulb · trunk · pitcher · toast · racket · squash

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. toast — bread
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bulb — for light
  13. roll — a list
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. game — a match
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. squash — the sport
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bulb — for light
  24. trunk — of a tree

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