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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. rule — a law
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. suit — in cards
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wax — to grow
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cue — a hint
  18. rule — government

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