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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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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: can · roll · firm · squash · bulb · suit · board · stem

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. squash — the sport
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. firm — a company
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. firm — decided
  13. stem — to come from
  14. firm — steady
  15. suit — in cards
  16. board — to get on
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — to fit
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bulb — for light
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. roll — a list
  24. bulb — for light

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