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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 116 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: prune · can · cue · file · mate · wax · key · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  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. track — a song
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. track — to keep track
  7. file — a line of people
  8. wax — to grow
  9. can — a tin
  10. file — a document
  11. mate — to breed
  12. cue — for pool
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — a path
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. can — to be able to
  19. prune — to trim
  20. file — a tool
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cue — a signal
  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