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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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468
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: racket · bulb · scale · rash · board · cue · arm · snap

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. scale — size or range
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. board — to get on
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. scale — in music
  13. cue — a signal
  14. snap — to click
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. board — a committee
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cue — for pool

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