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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cue — for pool
  4. race — humankind
  5. bulb — for light
  6. race — a contest
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. club — a group
  14. fork — in a road
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. roll — a cake
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bear — to put up with
  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