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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 116 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: game · bulb · bass · cue · rush · net · bowl · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. net — for catching
  5. bulb — for light
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cue — a hint
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. net — after costs
  12. object — a thing
  13. game — a match
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. object — an aim
  17. net — in sport
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bowl — a dish

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