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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 124 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. net — for catching
  3. rule — government
  4. suit — in cards
  5. net — after costs
  6. cue — a hint
  7. field — farmland
  8. net — in sport
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — for pool
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cue — a signal
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. field — for sport
  18. fine — high quality
  19. suit — clothes
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fine — all right
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. field — a subject
  24. rule — a law

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