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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mug — a cup
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pit — a hole
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mug — a face
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cue — a hint
  17. squash — to crush
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bulb — for light
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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