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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: cue · roll · trunk · season · foot · row · wake · safe

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. roll — a list
  5. row — a line
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. roll — a cake
  8. season — in sport
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. cue — for pool
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cue — a hint
  15. season — of the year
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. cue — a signal
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wake — a trail
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. row — to paddle
  24. safe — out of danger

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