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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. ball — a great time
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cue — a signal

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