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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pop — soda
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. pop — music
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. club — a group
  13. pop — to visit
  14. cue — a hint
  15. club — for golf
  16. cue — a signal
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mug — a face
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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