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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 124 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. present — a gift
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cue — a signal
  7. present — the time now
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — the amount
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. scale — size or range
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. content — happy
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. present — there

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