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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. present — the time now
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. present — there
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pit — a hole
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. branch — a division
  16. cue — for pool
  17. present — a gift
  18. squash — the sport

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