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

Word bank: cue · roll · temple · net · lash · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cue — a signal
  3. net — for catching
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. roll — a list
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. cue — a hint
  9. net — after costs
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. net — in sport
  18. roll — a cake

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