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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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. cue — a hint
  5. net — in sport
  6. spell — magic
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — electric
  15. cue — a signal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. current — happening now
  18. net — after costs
  19. spell — a short time
  20. net — for catching
  21. spell — letters
  22. current — of water
  23. cue — for pool
  24. object — to protest

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