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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. object — an aim
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cue — a hint
  9. object — a thing
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. cue — for pool
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. row — a line
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fine — all right
  22. object — to protest
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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