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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: cue · bulb · shower · scale · pit · nail · mug · chip

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pit — in a race
  4. cue — a signal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mug — a face
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. scale — size or range
  15. chip — to eat
  16. cue — for pool
  17. shower — to wash
  18. scale — in music
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mug — to rob
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. shower — rain
  24. scale — for weighing

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