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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: can · wake · roll · bowl · mouse · deal · season · sharp

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — in sport
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. season — of the year
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — a trail
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. can — a tin
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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