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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cue — for pool
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bass — low music
  8. board — a committee
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. board — to get on
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. race — humankind
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cue — a signal
  22. race — a contest
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fork — a garden tool

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