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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 120 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cue — for pool
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mug — a face
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. squash — the sport
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mug — to rob
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mug — a cup
  17. prune — to trim
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ball — a dance
  21. prune — to trim
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ball — a great time
  24. 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