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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. land — ground
  3. cue — for pool
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. land — to come down
  10. mug — to rob
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cue — a signal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. land — a country
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mug — a cup
  17. staff — a stick
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mug — a face
  20. staff — employees
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. tear — to rip
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. staff — employees

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