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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. race — a contest
  7. spring — a coil
  8. rock — music
  9. spring — the season
  10. race — humankind
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. spring — of water
  18. wax — to grow
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cue — a hint
  22. race — the arms race
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. cue — a signal

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