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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: band · spring · hide · perch · cabinet · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. band — a music group
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cue — a signal
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. perch — the fish
  8. spring — a coil
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. spring — of water
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cue — a hint
  15. spring — the season
  16. band — a ring
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hide — to keep secret

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