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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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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. board — a committee
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. spell — magic
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cue — for pool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. spell — letters
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cue — a hint
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. spell — a short time
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. branch — a division
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — to get on
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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