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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bulb — for light
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. game — wild animals
  19. kick — in football
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — in cards
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. game — a match
  24. nail — for a hammer

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