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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: pitch · bass · rule · bulb · bear · plane · cap · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rule — a law
  5. cue — a signal
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bass — low music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rule — government
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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