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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 120 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: fan · net · cue · row · pitch · bulb · trunk · mouse

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. net — after costs
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pitch — completely
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. net — for catching
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. row — a line
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. net — in sport
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cue — a hint

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