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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. cue — a hint
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pop — soda
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pit — a hole
  16. game — a match
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cap — a lid
  19. game — wild animals
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pop — music

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