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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — music
  4. degree — an amount
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cue — a signal
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pop — soda
  14. stock — goods
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cue — for pool
  20. degree — temperature
  21. stock — shares
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. snap — to click

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