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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. scale — size or range
  5. roll — a list
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mug — a face
  9. spell — magic
  10. snap — to click
  11. cue — a hint
  12. scale — in music
  13. roll — a cake
  14. spell — letters
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mine — for digging
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. mug — to rob

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