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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
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: cold · racket · craft · season · suit · cue · roll · leaves

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. suit — clothes
  7. craft — boats
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cold — an illness
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. cold — not warm
  16. roll — a list
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. suit — to fit
  21. season — in sport
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. roll — a cake

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