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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bulb — for light
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. spring — a coil
  6. cue — a signal
  7. drill — the tool
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cue — a hint
  10. spring — of water
  11. last — to go on
  12. mug — a cup
  13. last — finally
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. last — final
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. toast — bread
  20. spring — the season
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cue — for pool

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