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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: object · track · snap · cap · mug · cue · bulb · swing

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bulb — for light
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. track — to keep track
  7. snap — to click
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cue — for pool
  11. object — an aim
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. track — a path
  14. cap — of ice
  15. object — a thing
  16. track — a song
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. swing — music
  20. object — to protest
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cap — a lid
  24. swing — in golf

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