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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. cue — for pool
  3. staff — employees
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cue — a signal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wax — to grow
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mug — a face
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. staff — employees
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stand — for spectators

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