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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cue — a hint
  5. tube — a container
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cue — for pool
  15. tear — to rip
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. tear — from crying
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. suit — in cards
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cabinet — ministers

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