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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cue · temple · press · shower · cap · mouse · wax · fan

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. press — to push
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cue — a signal
  15. shower — rain
  16. wax — to grow
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. press — a publisher

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