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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cue — for pool
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. file — a tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cue — a signal
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. snap — to click
  22. can — to be able to
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. file — a document

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