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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: bulb · lie · cue · track · pitcher · board · sharp · can

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a path
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cue — a hint
  12. board — a committee
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. track — a song
  16. sharp — clever
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. board — to get on
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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