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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cue — for pool
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bulb — for light
  10. season — in sport
  11. cue — a signal
  12. capital — a city
  13. season — of the year
  14. bulb — for light
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. foot — a measure
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. swing — to play on
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a big letter

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