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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cue — for pool
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chair — a leader
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wax — to grow
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. perch — the fish
  14. saw — the tool
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. charge — a price
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cue — a hint
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. charge — electricity
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cue — a signal

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