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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 120 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. rash — a series
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. scale — in music
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. ground — the earth
  13. tube — a container
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bass — low music
  19. cue — a hint
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. scale — size or range

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