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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. content — happy
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mine — for digging
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. firm — a company
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. board — a committee
  10. key — in music
  11. cue — a hint
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. content — the amount
  14. key — the most important part
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cue — a signal
  18. board — to get on
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — for light
  21. firm — decided
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. firm — steady
  24. fan — to cool the air

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