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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. scale — in music
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cue — for pool
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bulb — for light
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. game — wild animals
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. game — a match
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bank — for money
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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