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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. kick — in football
  2. mate — a partner
  3. cue — a hint
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. wax — to grow
  7. object — a thing
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. band — a music group
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. band — a ring
  14. object — an aim
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — for pool
  18. object — to protest
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pitch — completely
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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