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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: staff · pound · bulb · bowl · cue · calf · shower · spring

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. spring — the season
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. spring — of water
  11. shower — to wash
  12. staff — employees
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. cue — a hint
  16. spring — a coil
  17. shower — rain
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. staff — employees
  24. pound — to hit hard

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