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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. degree — from a university
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. degree — temperature
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. row — a line
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. cue — a hint

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