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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · cue · branch · rule · bulb · clip · plane · pit

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bulb — for light
  6. plane — a tool
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rule — a law
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cue — for pool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. branch — a division
  15. cue — a signal
  16. clip — a video
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rule — government
  19. game — wild animals
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. clip — to cut
  24. game — a match

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