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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: cue · date · root · sharp · field · bowl · wave · temple

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. root — of a word
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. root — of a plant
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. field — a subject
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. root — the cause
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. sharp — clever
  20. cue — for pool
  21. field — farmland
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. field — for sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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