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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 120 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: hand · bay · cue · chip · bulb · cell · pop · suit

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pop — soda
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pop — music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cue — a hint
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. hand — help
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pop — to visit

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