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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. cue — a hint
  3. row — to paddle
  4. firm — decided
  5. foot — a measure
  6. row — a line
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — steady
  11. bass — low music
  12. tube — a container
  13. bulb — for light
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. cue — for pool
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. tube — the underground
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — a company
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bass — the fish

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