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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
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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: cue · mine · deal · saw · temple · wax · cap · charge

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. charge — a price
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a lid
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mine — for digging
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. deal — to handle
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. charge — in control
  23. cue — for pool
  24. charge — electricity

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