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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: cue · saw · craft · shower · season · bulb · roll · game

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. cue — for pool
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. shower — to wash
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bulb — for light
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. season — in sport
  10. shower — rain
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. game — wild animals
  13. craft — boats
  14. saw — the tool
  15. season — of the year
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. game — a match
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — a skill

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