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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cue — a signal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wax — to grow
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bore — to tire
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bore — to drill

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