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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · bound · clip · mug · key · firm · cue · nail

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. key — in music
  6. wax — to grow
  7. cue — a hint
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bound — certain
  11. key — the most important part
  12. firm — decided
  13. bound — obliged
  14. clip — to cut
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. firm — steady
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. clip — for paper
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bound — tied together
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. key — for a lock
  24. clip — a video

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