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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pit — in a race
  7. foot — a measure
  8. net — for catching
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. net — after costs
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bass — the fish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. cue — for pool
  22. net — in sport
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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