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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. net — in sport
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bear — the animal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stock — goods
  9. bear — the animal
  10. net — for catching
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stock — shares
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. kick — in football
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. net — after costs
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kick — a thrill

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