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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: key · content · cue · lean · wax · mate · mouse · club

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — to bend
  4. content — happy
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. cue — a hint
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. club — for golf
  10. wax — to grow
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cue — for pool
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. lean — thin
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mate — a friend
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. content — the amount

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