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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bass — low music
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. capital — money
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wax — to grow
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. chair — a leader
  10. object — an aim
  11. bass — the fish
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. object — to protest
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. capital — a city
  18. object — a thing
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cue — a signal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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