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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — for pool
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. foot — a measure
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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