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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. cue — for pool
  3. craft — boats
  4. present — there
  5. chair — a leader
  6. branch — a division
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. present — a gift
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. cue — a hint
  18. present — the time now
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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