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

Word bank: ball · bulb · cue · mark · pit · deal · stand · mate

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mate — to breed
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bulb — for light
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mate — a partner
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bulb — for light

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