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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: scale · club · cue · bulb · pit · bowl · field · board

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. field — for sport
  4. club — a group
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. board — a committee
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. field — farmland
  16. board — to get on
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. field — a subject
  19. club — for golf
  20. pit — in a race
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bowl — to roll
  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