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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: cue · present · bay · spring · fork · bulb · date · sharp

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. spring — of water
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bulb — for light
  10. present — a gift
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. present — the time now
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. cue — a hint
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — the season
  20. present — there
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. date — the fruit

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