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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.

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: bulb · kick · rush · cue · leaves · squash · cabinet · pitcher

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. squash — the sport
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bulb — for light
  22. kick — in football
  23. rush — to hurry
  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