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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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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: stand · row · cue · bay · bulb · rock · roll · snap

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bulb — for light
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rock — music
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. snap — to click
  20. roll — a cake
  21. row — a line
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. roll — a list
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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