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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. row — a line
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. track — to keep track
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — a path
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. foot — a measure
  21. track — a song
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. calf — of the leg

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