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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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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: wound · cue · fork · bowl · bear · wave · bay · temple

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wound — an injury
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cue — a signal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cue — for pool

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