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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · ground · bark · calf · vault · bulb · racket · squash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bulb — for light
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bulb — for light
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ground — the earth
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fan — to cool the air

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