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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: fine · pop · key · wave · bore · cue · snap · mate

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cue — for pool
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bore — to drill
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mate — a friend
  13. key — in music
  14. mate — a partner
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pop — soda
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fine — all right
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. key — for a lock

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