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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: lie · roll · court · bulb · leaves · fan · mate · cue

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cue — for pool
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mate — to breed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cue — a hint
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mate — a partner
  19. cue — a signal
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. court — of law
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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