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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bound — certain
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mate — a partner
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bound — obliged
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. tear — from crying
  18. fine — all right
  19. mate — to breed
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bowl — to roll

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