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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: squash · sharp · pass · root · arm · saw · cue · dip

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. cue — a hint
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. dip — to sink
  8. root — the cause
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cue — a signal
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cue — for pool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. root — of a plant
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. root — of a word
  24. sharp — exactly

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