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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 120 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 · wax · game · suit · tube · clip · can · spell

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. cue — a signal
  3. tube — a container
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. can — a tin
  8. cue — for pool
  9. clip — a video
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. clip — for paper
  12. tube — the underground
  13. spell — a short time
  14. clip — to cut
  15. spell — magic
  16. cue — a hint
  17. suit — to fit
  18. game — wild animals
  19. can — to be able to
  20. spell — letters
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. can — a tin
  24. wax — in the ear

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