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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: cue · coach · chip · can · fan · wake · tube · bulb

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tube — the underground
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cue — for pool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. can — a tin
  13. cue — a signal
  14. tube — a container
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. wake — a trail
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. can — a tin

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