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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: firm · spring · cue · pop · season · ruler · bowl · perch

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. spring — of water
  4. firm — a company
  5. cue — for pool
  6. firm — decided
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pop — soda
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. firm — steady
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. spring — a coil
  17. season — in sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. season — of the year
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bowl — a dish

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