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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 116 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: straw · fine · deal · cue · march · bowl · present · staff

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. deal — to handle
  3. march — the month
  4. present — a gift
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. present — the time now
  8. cue — a signal
  9. march — music
  10. staff — a stick
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. staff — employees
  16. present — there
  17. march — the month
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fine — all right
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. staff — employees

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