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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 120 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: stand · squash · cue · wave · ball · sharp · pop · bear

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stand — to bear
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pop — soda
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pop — to visit
  17. cue — for pool
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pop — music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. cue — a hint
  24. squash — to crush

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