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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: can · cue · mark · temple · ball · wake · roll · rest

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rest — a break
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. can — a tin
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. roll — a list
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wake — a trail
  18. can — a tin
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cue — a hint
  24. roll — a cake

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