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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: jam · spring · cue · bulb · season · roll · calf · bore

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. spring — the season
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cue — a signal
  15. spring — a coil
  16. season — in sport
  17. spring — of water
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. cue — a hint
  21. season — of the year
  22. roll — a cake
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bulb — for light

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