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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. charge — in control
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cue — a hint
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. wax — to grow
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. chair — a leader
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. charge — a price
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cue — a signal
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. wax — in the ear

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