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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: bulb · pop · foot · bear · swing · pound · wake · cue

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. swing — music
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pop — to visit
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pop — soda
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pop — music
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bulb — of a plant

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