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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cue — a signal
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spring — of water
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bound — obliged
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — tied together
  20. lie — to recline
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spring — the season
  24. bulb — for light

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