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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: track · bulb · bat · row · squash · club · cue · bear

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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. bat — the animal
  4. track — a path
  5. row — to paddle
  6. track — a song
  7. cue — for pool
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. club — for dancing
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bear — the animal
  13. club — a group
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. club — for golf
  18. cue — a hint
  19. squash — to crush
  20. cue — a signal
  21. row — a line
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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