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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: sharp · mouse · cue · season · row · press · foot · wound

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cue — a hint
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. cue — for pool
  10. row — to paddle
  11. press — to push
  12. sharp — clever
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. season — in sport
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. season — of the year
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cue — a signal
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. press — a publisher
  24. season — to add flavour

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