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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: wake · bulb · cue · chip · rock · rash · nail · pop

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rock — a stone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pop — to visit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pop — soda
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pop — music
  15. chip — to eat
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rash — a series
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rock — music
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bulb — for light

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