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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. branch — a division
  4. face — part of the head
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cue — for pool
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — to point toward
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. can — a tin
  11. chip — for betting
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cue — a hint
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. can — a tin
  17. chair — a leader
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. chip — to eat
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mouse — for a computer

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