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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rash — hasty
  12. cue — a signal
  13. key — in music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rash — a series
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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