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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: kick · fork · cue · fine · pass · mine · wave · suit

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cue — a hint
  6. fine — all right
  7. fork — in a road
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pass — a permit
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. fine — high quality
  14. kick — in football
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pass — to spend time

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