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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
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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: cabinet · spell · season · bulb · bass · hand · cue · lean

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bass — low music
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. season — in sport
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. season — of the year
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. spell — magic
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lean — thin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hand — help

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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