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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cue — a hint

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