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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: game · board · kick · squash · cue · shower · bulb · chair

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cue — a signal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. squash — the sport
  6. board — to get on
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. shower — rain
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. squash — to crush
  11. chair — a leader
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cue — for pool
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. cue — a hint
  19. board — a committee
  20. game — a match
  21. shower — to wash
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. kick — a thrill

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