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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 · bass · mug · cue · bear · rock · bark · content

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mug — a face
  5. content — happy
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — music
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bass — low music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. content — the amount
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. content — videos and posts

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