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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 116 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 · net · wind · stand · cue · coach · mate · club

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. club — for golf
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. club — for dancing
  6. net — for catching
  7. club — a group
  8. net — in sport
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. cue — a hint
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mate — to breed
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mate — a partner
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. net — after costs

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