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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cue — for pool
  4. game — a match
  5. court — for sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cue — a hint
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. game — wild animals
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. ruler — a monarch

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