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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. object — to protest
  10. bulb — for light
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. prune — to trim
  14. object — a thing
  15. prune — to trim
  16. object — an aim
  17. cue — a signal
  18. row — a line

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