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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: rule · bowl · present · bulb · spring · cue · mark · stand

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rule — government
  11. present — the time now
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. spring — the season
  14. present — a gift
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rule — a law
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. mark — a trace
  23. spring — of water
  24. present — there

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