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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wax — to grow
  5. spell — magic
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spell — a short time
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. bound — certain
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. can — a tin
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. spell — letters

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