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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.

Make a worksheet

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: land · date · suit · scale · fan · spring · cue · current

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. cue — a hint
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. land — a country
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. suit — in cards
  8. spring — of water
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. suit — to fit
  11. current — happening now
  12. scale — in music
  13. land — to come down
  14. current — electric
  15. land — ground
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cue — a signal
  18. current — of water
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. scale — size or range
  21. cue — for pool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. date — the fruit
  24. spring — a coil

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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