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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. shower — rain
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cold — an illness
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. present — the time now
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. board — to get on
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — there
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. last — to go on
  16. board — a committee
  17. cold — not warm
  18. last — final
  19. cue — a hint
  20. last — finally
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cue — for pool
  24. shower — to wash

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