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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: cue · fall · row · mug · mouse · ground · bulb · bass

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fall — to drop
  3. row — a line
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fall — the season
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ground — a position
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bass — low music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ground — crushed
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cue — a signal

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