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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. cue — a signal
  4. game — a match
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. firm — a company
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. root — the cause
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. root — of a word
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. cue — a hint
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cap — of ice
  18. game — wild animals
  19. firm — decided
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cap — a hat
  22. firm — steady
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cap — a lid

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