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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 116 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: straw · fine · deal · cue · march · bowl

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. 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. cue — a hint
  2. march — the month
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. march — music
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. fine — all right
  15. march — the month
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. deal — to handle
  18. 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