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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: mate · sharp · roll · cue · wake · foot · bowl · clip

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mate — a partner
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cue — for pool
  8. clip — a video
  9. wake — a trail
  10. roll — a list
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. clip — for paper
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. roll — a cake
  17. mate — to breed
  18. cue — a hint
  19. clip — to cut
  20. foot — a measure
  21. sharp — clever
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mate — a friend

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