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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. kick — in football
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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