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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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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. shower — rain
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. season — of the year
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. season — in sport
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cue — a hint
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. fall — to drop
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bulb — for light
  19. shower — to wash
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lean — thin

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