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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 116 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 · pop · bulb · ball · bowl · rule · race · wax

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pop — music
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pop — to visit
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. race — humankind
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. race — a contest
  21. rule — a law
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rule — government

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