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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: scale · season · bulb · toast · club · cue · chest · rush

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bulb — for light
  3. scale — size or range
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chest — a box
  6. club — for dancing
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cue — a signal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. club — for golf
  11. chest — of your body
  12. cue — a hint
  13. club — a group
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. season — in sport
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. season — of the year
  20. rush — hurry
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bulb — for light
  23. scale — in music
  24. toast — bread

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