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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. fall — to drop
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. spring — a coil
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. object — a thing
  10. spring — of water
  11. fall — the season
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. object — to protest
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cue — a hint
  17. deal — to handle
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bulb — for light
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. object — an aim
  23. spring — the season
  24. bulb — for light

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