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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spring — of water
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. cue — a hint
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pitch — completely
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. mate — to breed
  18. spring — the season
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rock — music
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rock — a stone

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