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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. net — for catching
  6. board — a committee
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cue — for pool
  20. board — to get on
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rash — a series
  24. cue — a signal

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