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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: season · stick · band · bulb · perch · leaves · ball · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cue — for pool
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. band — a ring
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ball — a dance
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. perch — the fish
  23. band — a music group
  24. perch — for a bird

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