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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
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: roll · wind · season · ruler · cue · ball · branch · mate

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. mate — a friend
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. season — in sport
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ball — a dance
  11. cue — a signal
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mate — a partner
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. roll — a cake
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mate — to breed
  20. season — of the year
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. branch — a division

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