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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 116 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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. drill — army training
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ball — a dance
  6. root — of a word
  7. cue — a signal
  8. spell — letters
  9. drill — a practice
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. drill — the tool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. root — of a plant
  17. spell — a short time
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. cue — for pool
  20. root — the cause
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spell — magic
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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