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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — soda
  4. net — after costs
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cue — for pool
  8. net — for catching
  9. can — a tin
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. present — the time now
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pop — to visit
  14. cue — a signal
  15. net — in sport
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. present — there
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pop — music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. present — a gift

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