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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: tube · wave · pass · mouse · cap · arm · snap · mug

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. snap — to click
  3. mug — a face
  4. pass — a permit
  5. tube — a container
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. cap — a hat
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. cap — a lid
  11. tube — the underground
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. arm — part of the body

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