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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 116 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
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: cue · present · game · lie · bulb · mouse · bank · wave

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bank — for money
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. present — the time now
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bank — for money
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. present — there
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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