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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wax — to grow
  4. ground — the earth
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mug — a face
  8. press — a publisher
  9. ground — crushed
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. ground — a position
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cue — for pool
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mouse — the animal

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