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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.

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: fan · lie · mug · bulb · cue · straw · craft · mate

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mate — a friend
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. craft — boats
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mug — a face
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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