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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rest — a break
  5. bear — the animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. bear — the animal
  8. spell — letters
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. spell — magic
  16. firm — steady
  17. spell — a short time
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cue — a signal
  24. tube — the underground

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