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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: roll · cue · firm · date · rock · craft · ground · bulb

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. ground — crushed
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cue — for pool
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. firm — decided
  13. roll — a list
  14. ground — a position
  15. bulb — for light
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rock — music
  18. cue — a signal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. firm — a company
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. craft — boats
  23. ground — the earth
  24. firm — steady

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