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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 120 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 · mouse · stand · mate · bulb · spring · arm · perch

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cue — a hint
  7. spring — of water
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mate — a partner
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. spring — a coil
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cue — for pool
  24. perch — for a bird

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