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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 120 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 I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. game — a match
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. degree — temperature
  8. tube — the underground
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. degree — from a university
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bulb — for light
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rock — a stone
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. foot — a measure
  22. game — wild animals
  23. tube — a container
  24. rock — music

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