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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: deal · coach · temple · straw · bulb · current · snap · cue

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cue — for pool
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. current — happening now
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. current — of water
  14. snap — to click
  15. bulb — for light
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cue — a hint
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. current — electric
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cue — a signal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. deal — to handle

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