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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 124 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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. net — after costs
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pass — a permit
  10. file — a line of people
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cue — a signal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rest — a break
  16. net — for catching
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. file — a tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. net — in sport
  23. file — a document
  24. jam — a tight spot

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