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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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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. face — to point toward
  3. game — a match
  4. cue — for pool
  5. game — wild animals
  6. current — happening now
  7. face — to confront
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. face — part of the head
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cue — a signal
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rock — music
  16. cue — a hint
  17. snap — to click
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. current — of water
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. current — electric
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — to grow

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