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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 · cue · nail · club · rush · object · mine · board

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cue — a hint
  7. club — for golf
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. club — a group
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. club — for dancing
  15. object — an aim
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. object — a thing
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. object — to protest

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