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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bulb · snap · leaves · stock · cue · plane · toast · ball

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. snap — to click
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stock — shares
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cue — for pool
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bulb — for light
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. toast — bread
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ball — a great time
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stock — goods

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