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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. cue — a signal
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cue — a hint
  10. suit — to fit
  11. season — in sport
  12. bulb — for light
  13. season — of the year
  14. bulb — for light
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wax — to grow
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rock — 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