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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. march — music
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. cue — for pool
  10. staff — employees
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bass — low music
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bass — the fish
  17. staff — employees
  18. march — the month
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. march — the month
  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