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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 120 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — to shout
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wax — to grow
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool

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