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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. firm — steady
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. game — wild animals
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — a leader
  9. game — a match
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wax — to grow
  14. firm — decided
  15. cap — of ice
  16. drill — army training
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cap — a lid
  22. firm — a company
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wax — in the ear

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