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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: swing · mouse · stand · shower · plane · bulb · clip · cue

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cue — for pool
  4. clip — for paper
  5. shower — to wash
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. clip — a video
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. cue — a signal
  15. clip — to cut
  16. swing — music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. stand — to bear
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. shower — rain
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. plane — in geometry

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