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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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Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wax — to grow
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cue — a signal
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. net — for catching
  9. can — a tin
  10. season — in sport
  11. net — in sport
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. can — a tin
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. net — after costs
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cue — a hint
  22. season — of the year
  23. bark — to shout
  24. cue — for pool

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