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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cue — a hint
  12. shower — to wash
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. shower — rain
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cue — for pool
  18. board — to get on

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