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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bulb — for light
  3. swing — music
  4. cue — a signal
  5. swing — in golf
  6. plane — a tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cell — in biology
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — the earth
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cue — a hint
  24. plane — in geometry

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