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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 · swing · suit · bulb · cue · last · rash · game

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  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. last — finally
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cue — for pool
  4. suit — in cards
  5. swing — in golf
  6. cue — a signal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. object — a thing
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bulb — for light
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. object — to protest
  13. game — a match
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. last — to go on
  16. swing — to play on
  17. last — final
  18. object — an aim
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. cue — a hint
  22. swing — music
  23. rash — a series
  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