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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: cue · firm · root · ball · prune · temple · perch · bulb

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. root — of a word
  3. firm — decided
  4. cue — for pool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. firm — steady
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. root — of a plant
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. prune — to trim
  20. root — the cause
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — a company

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