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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 120 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
468
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: bowl · march · mine · cue · lie · can · fork · nail

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — for pool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. can — a tin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. can — a tin
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mine — an explosive

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