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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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. cue — a hint
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. spell — magic
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wake — a trail
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spell — letters
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mine — for digging
  16. wax — to grow
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bulb — for light
  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