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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 · foot · lean · race · bass · bay · press · bulb

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. press — to push
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lean — thin
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. foot — a measure
  9. press — newspapers
  10. race — a contest
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bulb — for light
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bass — the fish
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. race — humankind
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. race — the arms race
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bass — low music

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