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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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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: cue · racket · sharp · mug · wake · content · fan · bulb

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. content — the amount
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mug — a face
  8. content — happy
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wake — a trail
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. cue — a hint
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bulb — of a plant

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