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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: bass · rash · wake · mate · stand · bulb · cue · rush

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bass — low music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bass — the fish

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