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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. court — of a king
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bank — for money
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cold — not warm
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. court — for sport
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bank — for money
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. suit — clothes
  15. court — of law
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. suit — in cards

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