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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. scale — in music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chip — to eat
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chip — for betting
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cue — a signal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bulb — for light
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rush — to hurry

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