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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: deal · cue · straw · arm · bulb · racket · toast · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pop — soda
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. cue — for pool
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pop — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bulb — for light
  21. toast — bread
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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