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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 120 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cue — a hint
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. tube — a container
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wax — to grow
  23. cue — a signal
  24. tube — in a tire

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