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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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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: cue · fork · mouse · foot · file · board · bowl · wave

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. board — to get on
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. board — a committee
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. file — a tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. file — a document
  23. foot — a measure
  24. cue — a signal

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