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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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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. capital — money
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cue — a hint
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fall — to drop
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fine — all right
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. capital — a city
  23. fall — the season
  24. fine — high quality

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