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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.

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 · can · wax · cell · pitcher · key · squash · file

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cue — a hint
  3. key — the most important part
  4. file — a line of people
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. squash — to crush
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. cue — a signal
  9. squash — the sport
  10. cell — a phone
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. key — for a lock
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. key — in music
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. file — a document
  19. cell — in biology
  20. file — a tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wax — to grow

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