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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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. club — a group
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. club — for golf
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — to recline
  16. kid — to tease
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. kid — child
  19. cue — a hint
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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