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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. game — wild animals
  7. cue — a hint
  8. game — a match
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cue — for pool
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. firm — steady
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. cue — a signal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bear — the animal
  21. row — to paddle
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. firm — decided
  24. bear — the animal

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