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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
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: mouse · mug · mate · cue · file · pop · bear · wound

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cue — a signal
  4. file — a line of people
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. file — a tool
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mug — a face
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mate — to breed
  22. file — a document
  23. mug — to rob
  24. cue — for pool

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