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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: bulb · can · key · field · season · cue · pass · tear

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. season — of the year
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. key — the most important part
  7. tear — from crying
  8. cue — for pool
  9. can — a tin
  10. field — farmland
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. key — for a lock
  16. field — for sport
  17. can — a tin
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. field — a subject
  21. bulb — for light
  22. can — to be able to
  23. key — in music
  24. cue — a hint

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