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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: nail · wax · cue · hide · suit · bat · key · date

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. key — in music
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. cue — for pool
  5. key — for a lock
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. suit — to fit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cue — a hint
  12. date — the fruit
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. suit — clothes
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bat — the animal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. date — on the calendar

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