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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. content — happy
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. content — the amount
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rule — a law
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rule — government
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. row — a line
  14. cue — a hint
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lean — thin
  22. cue — a signal
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. lean — to bend

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