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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. cue — a signal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. ground — a position
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wake — a trail
  8. ground — the earth
  9. wax — to grow
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. present — the time now
  18. cue — for pool
  19. present — a gift
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cue — a hint
  24. present — there

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