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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spell — letters
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. race — humankind
  11. wax — to grow
  12. spell — magic
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. cue — for pool
  15. race — a contest
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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