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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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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: dip · row · bulb · pitch · current · cue · craft · coach

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. row — to paddle
  5. current — of water
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — happening now
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. craft — a skill
  17. cue — a hint
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. craft — boats
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. row — a line
  24. current — electric

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