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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: prune · cell · spell · mug · wax · key · cue · chip

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cell — in biology
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chip — for betting
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. spell — a short time
  9. key — in music
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mug — a face
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. chip — to eat
  14. cue — a hint
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. spell — magic
  18. mug — to rob
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. cell — a phone

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