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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. board — a committee
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mug — a face
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. hand — in cards
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cue — for pool
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. mug — a cup
  12. sharp — clever
  13. tube — a container
  14. hand — help
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cue — a hint
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. board — to get on
  23. mug — to rob
  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