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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 112 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. cue — a signal
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pop — to visit
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pop — soda
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. kid — child

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