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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. cue — for pool
  6. toast — bread
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. lean — to bend
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ground — the earth
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ground — a position
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lean — thin
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cue — a hint

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