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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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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: cue · arm · bulb · row · key · bay · straw · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. cue — for pool
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. cue — a hint
  7. key — the most important part
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. key — in music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. key — for a lock
  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