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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 116 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: mouse · bear · cue · clip · can · fan · cap · pop

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. clip — for paper
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cue — a hint
  20. clip — a video
  21. can — a tin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. can — a tin

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