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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 120 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: rest · cue · bulb · hand · branch · hide · pound · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. hand — help
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rest — a break
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rest — what's left
  18. branch — a division
  19. cue — a hint
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. suit — clothes

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