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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: wake · bowl · perch · mine · cue · rock · game · safe

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. rock — a stone
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mine — for digging
  8. cue — a signal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cue — for pool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. game — a match
  14. rock — music
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wake — a trail
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mine — an explosive

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