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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cue — a signal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wax — to grow
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cue — for pool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rock — a stone
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rock — music
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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