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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · mate · object · spell · wax · ball · cell · plane

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mate — a friend
  3. cue — a hint
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cue — for pool
  6. object — a thing
  7. ball — a dance
  8. object — an aim
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cue — a signal
  13. object — to protest
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mate — to breed
  17. cell — a phone
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. cell — in biology
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. wax — to grow
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. plane — a tool

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