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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bulb — for light
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. court — of law
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — of a king
  9. bulb — for light
  10. net — after costs
  11. court — for sport
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. cue — a signal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. net — for catching
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. net — in sport
  23. bass — low music
  24. arm — part of the body

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