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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: roll · mug · stick · firm · rush · suit · date · bulb

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mug — to rob
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mug — a cup
  12. roll — a cake
  13. firm — steady
  14. rush — hurry
  15. firm — a company
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mug — a face
  20. firm — decided
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. roll — a list
  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