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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rule — government
  5. ground — a position
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. ground — the earth
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pass — a permit
  19. mug — a face
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rule — a law
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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