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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: bat · pass · bulb · mug · pitcher · snap · cue · trunk

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mug — a face
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. mug — a cup
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bat — the animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bulb — of a plant

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