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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: wax · face · shower · mouse · coach · cue · clip · roll

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. clip — to cut
  5. face — to confront
  6. shower — rain
  7. clip — a video
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. roll — a list
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. roll — a cake
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wax — to grow
  20. shower — to wash
  21. clip — for paper
  22. cue — a hint
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. cue — a signal

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