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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. field — farmland
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. field — a subject
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. field — for sport
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cue — for pool

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