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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cue — a signal
  6. hand — help
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ball — a dance
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cue — a hint
  17. board — a committee
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rush — hurry
  20. board — to get on
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rush — a thrill

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