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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. pop — music
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. board — a committee
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cue — a hint
  12. scale — in music
  13. pop — to visit
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. scale — size or range
  16. cue — for pool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. board — to get on
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pop — soda

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