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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. land — to come down
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. land — a country
  10. cue — a signal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. craft — boats
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. land — ground
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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