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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. club — for golf
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. march — music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. march — the month
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for dancing
  21. ball — a dance
  22. march — the month
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bowl — a football final

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