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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: land · cue · bowl · object · can · pop · bulb · swing

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. can — to be able to
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pop — music
  6. swing — music
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pop — soda
  9. object — a thing
  10. can — a tin
  11. land — ground
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. swing — in golf
  15. cue — a hint
  16. can — a tin
  17. object — to protest
  18. bulb — for light
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — a country
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. object — an aim

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