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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 124 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cue — a signal
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cue — a hint
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bass — low music
  16. race — a contest
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bear — the animal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  24. bass — the instrument

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