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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: spell · can · pit · bulb · toast · spring · court · cue

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. cue — a signal
  4. court — for sport
  5. toast — bread
  6. cue — a hint
  7. court — of a king
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cue — for pool
  10. court — of law
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spell — magic
  13. bulb — for light
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. spell — letters
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — a tin
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. pit — in a race
  24. spring — a coil

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