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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 shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pop — soda
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pop — music
  7. wax — to grow
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. object — a thing
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. field — farmland
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. object — to protest
  14. pop — to visit
  15. cue — for pool
  16. field — for sport
  17. cue — a hint
  18. field — a subject
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. object — an aim
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chip — for betting
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. chip — to eat

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