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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 120 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. cue — for pool
  5. tube — a container
  6. wax — to grow
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bore — to tire
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bound — certain
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bound — obliged

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