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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. field — a subject
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cue — for pool
  10. track — a path
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cue — a signal
  13. field — farmland
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. can — a tin
  16. field — for sport
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. swing — to play on
  19. cue — a hint
  20. track — a song
  21. can — a tin
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. track — to keep track
  24. swing — 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