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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bat — the animal
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bat — in an idiom

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