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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: pop · chest · lie · jam · bulb · cell · pitcher · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lie — to recline
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. pop — soda
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. cell — in biology
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pop — to visit
  17. chest — a box
  18. cue — a signal
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pop — music
  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