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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 play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. object — a thing
  4. key — for a lock
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. object — an aim
  10. key — in music
  11. cue — a signal
  12. key — the most important part
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. object — to protest
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. hand — in cards
  21. date — the fruit
  22. hand — help
  23. chair — a leader
  24. wax — to grow

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