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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 116 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mate — a friend
  7. wax — to grow
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mate — a partner
  16. band — a music group
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. band — a ring
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. perch — for a bird

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