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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.

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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: cue · bulb · toast · rock · season · bowl · spell · rush

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. toast — bread
  3. season — of the year
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bulb — for light
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rush — hurry
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. season — in sport
  14. spell — magic
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cue — a hint
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bulb — for light

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