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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bulb — for light
  3. content — the amount
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bulb — for light
  13. row — to paddle
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. staff — employees
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. staff — employees
  23. content — happy
  24. row — a line

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