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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. cue — a hint
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bulb — of a plant

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