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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.

Words on the sheet
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: capital · bulb · bay · cue · club · ball · date · track

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cue — for pool
  5. club — a group
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. bulb — for light
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. track — a song
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. capital — money
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. capital — a city
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. club — for golf

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