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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. court — for sport
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cue — a signal
  5. court — of law
  6. club — for golf
  7. court — of a king
  8. present — there
  9. club — a group
  10. fork — in a road
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. staff — employees
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wax — to grow
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. staff — employees
  21. club — for dancing
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wax — for sculpting

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