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

Word bank: wave · tube · deal · cap · mark · cue · squash · land

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. deal — to handle
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cue — a hint
  7. land — a country
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. squash — the sport
  10. cue — a signal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. squash — to crush
  13. land — ground
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cue — for pool
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. tube — a container
  24. land — to come down

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