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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bass — low music
  3. cue — for pool
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bass — the fish
  7. current — of water
  8. chair — a leader
  9. cue — a hint
  10. current — happening now
  11. wax — to grow
  12. current — electric
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. perch — for a bird

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