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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 116 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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. cue — for pool
  5. swing — in golf
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. board — to get on
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. swing — to play on
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. swing — music
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. board — a committee
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. squash — to crush

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