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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: hand · bulb · lean · cue · root · season · firm · fall

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. firm — decided
  3. root — the cause
  4. firm — a company
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fall — the season
  12. season — in sport
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fall — to drop
  15. hand — help
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cue — for pool
  19. root — of a word
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. firm — steady
  22. lean — to bend
  23. fall — to drop
  24. season — of the year

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