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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.

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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: wake · cue · present · kid · suit · mouse · pitcher · wave

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. present — the time now
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wake — a trail
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. present — there
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cue — for pool
  14. kid — child
  15. present — a gift
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. suit — in cards
  20. kid — to tease
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cue — a signal
  24. suit — clothes

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