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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pop — music
  6. vault — a safe
  7. hand — help
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bulb — for light
  12. root — of a word
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pop — soda
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pop — to visit
  18. root — the cause
  19. cue — a hint
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. saw — the tool
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bulb — for light
  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