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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: root · shower · squash · cue · lash · season · mouse · bulb

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cue — a hint
  7. shower — to wash
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — of the year
  10. shower — rain
  11. root — the cause
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bulb — for light
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. squash — to crush
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. root — of a word
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. root — of a plant
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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