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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. board — to get on
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. root — the cause
  7. cue — for pool
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pit — a hole
  10. hand — help
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. root — of a plant
  13. row — a line
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. cue — a hint
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pit — in a race
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. board — a committee
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. root — of a word

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