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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: jam · racket · wake · cue · sharp · row · band · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. can — to be able to
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. row — to paddle
  8. can — a tin
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. cue — for pool
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. cue — a signal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. band — a music group
  19. cue — a hint
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. band — a ring
  22. wake — a trail
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. row — a line

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