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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. face — to point toward
  3. shower — rain
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. face — to confront
  6. wax — to grow
  7. plane — a tool
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. shower — to wash
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cue — for pool

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