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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · club · object · capital · bulb · press

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. object — an aim
  3. cue — a hint
  4. object — to protest
  5. club — for golf
  6. capital — money
  7. club — a group
  8. cue — a signal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. object — a thing
  11. bulb — for light
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. capital — a city
  15. club — for dancing
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bulb — for light
  18. press — to push

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