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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. cap — of ice
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a signal
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cap — a hat
  13. wake — a trail
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pitch — completely
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. roll — a cake

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