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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: pit · rock · bulb · racket · mine · stick · drill · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. drill — a practice
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rock — music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. drill — army training
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pit — in a race
  20. drill — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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