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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. track — to keep track
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rash — a series
  7. cue — a signal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ground — the earth
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bulb — for light
  19. track — a song
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. track — a path
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bulb — of a plant

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