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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. scale — in music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. content — the amount
  12. pop — to visit
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. present — the time now
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bulb — for light
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. content — happy
  20. present — a gift
  21. pop — music
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pop — soda
  24. cue — a signal

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