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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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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. cue — a hint
  3. firm — a company
  4. cue — a signal
  5. can — a tin
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. firm — steady
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. can — a tin
  20. firm — decided
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bat — the animal
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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