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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: mouse · bound · mate · cue · last · cell · wake · mark

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cell — in biology
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mate — a partner
  6. last — final
  7. cue — for pool
  8. mate — a friend
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. last — finally
  15. bound — certain
  16. last — to go on
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bound — tied together
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mouse — the animal

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