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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. club — for dancing
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cue — a hint
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cue — a signal
  15. shower — rain
  16. club — a group
  17. dip — to sink
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. club — for golf
  20. shower — to wash
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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