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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: cue · cold · roll · bulb · bear · prune · bass · racket

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. roll — a list
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bulb — for light
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cold — an illness
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cue — a signal
  20. roll — a cake
  21. cold — not warm
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bear — to put up with

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