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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. net — after costs
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. net — for catching
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. net — in sport
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mug — to rob
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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