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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. clip — a video
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. band — a music group
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cue — a hint
  13. clip — for paper
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. ball — a great time
  19. clip — to cut
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bulb — for light
  22. band — a ring
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cue — a signal

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