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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cue · wax · toast · calf · bound · deal · mate · field

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mate — a friend
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. cue — for pool
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bound — certain
  13. toast — bread
  14. deal — to handle
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. field — a subject
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. field — farmland
  21. bound — obliged
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. field — for sport

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