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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cue — a signal
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pop — music
  15. chip — to eat
  16. swing — music
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. court — of law
  20. pop — soda
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. can — a tin
  24. pass — a permit

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