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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: pop · bowl · cue · date · bulb · race · cabinet · season

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. race — a contest
  3. season — in sport
  4. pop — to visit
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pop — soda
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. race — humankind
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bowl — to roll

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