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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.

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: cue · bulb · lean · charge · board · leaves · wound · rest

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cue — a hint
  10. board — to get on
  11. cue — for pool
  12. lean — to bend
  13. charge — a price
  14. lean — thin
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — a committee
  22. charge — in control
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lean — to rest against

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