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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: mark · calf · can · bulb · mouse · field · roll · game

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. field — farmland
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. can — a tin
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. field — a subject
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bulb — for light
  11. can — to be able to
  12. game — a match
  13. mark — a grade
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — a trace
  16. game — wild animals
  17. roll — a cake
  18. can — a tin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — for sport
  24. roll — a list

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