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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. vault — a safe
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cue — a hint
  18. season — in sport
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. season — of the year
  23. bear — the animal
  24. season — to add flavour

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