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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. craft — a skill
  4. season — of the year
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. can — to be able to
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bark — to shout
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. lie — to recline
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. can — a tin
  18. cue — a signal
  19. craft — boats
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — an untruth

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