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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. cue — a hint
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wake — a trail
  11. band — a ring
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. can — a tin
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. band — a music group
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cue — for pool
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bear — to put up with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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