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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 116 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 · drill · bulb · object · game · plane · sharp · season

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — to protest
  4. drill — army training
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. drill — a practice
  8. sharp — clever
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bulb — for light
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. season — in sport
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cue — for pool
  20. game — a match
  21. drill — the tool
  22. object — an aim
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. cue — a signal

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