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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: dip · sharp · cue · mate · straw · suit · scale · temple

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. sharp — clever
  4. cue — a hint
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mate — a partner
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. dip — to sink
  10. scale — size or range
  11. suit — in cards
  12. scale — in music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mate — a friend
  17. cue — for pool
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. cue — a signal
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mate — to breed
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. temple — a place of worship

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