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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: mate · row · season · file · cue · bear · content · bowl

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. row — a line
  3. content — the amount
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. file — a document
  6. mate — a friend
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. file — a tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. season — of the year
  20. content — happy
  21. file — a line of people
  22. cue — for pool
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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