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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
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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: wave · game · roll · deal · can · rest · tube · cue

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. deal — to handle
  3. roll — a cake
  4. rest — what's left
  5. tube — a container
  6. cue — a signal
  7. game — a match
  8. can — a tin
  9. rest — a break
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. tube — the underground
  14. can — to be able to
  15. roll — a list
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cue — for pool
  19. can — a tin
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cue — a hint
  24. game — a kind of play

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