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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bound — certain
  3. file — a document
  4. bound — obliged
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. file — a line of people
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bulb — for light
  16. file — a tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pass — a permit

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