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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. face — to confront
  3. can — a tin
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — a coil
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. cue — a hint
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. face — to point toward
  19. wax — to grow
  20. spring — the season
  21. charge — a price
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. can — a tin

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