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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.

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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bulb — for light
  3. season — in sport
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — to tease
  7. cue — a signal
  8. board — a committee
  9. season — of the year
  10. key — the most important part
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cue — for pool
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. cue — a hint

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