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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. fine — all right
  5. band — a music group
  6. fine — high quality
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. drill — army training
  10. band — a ring
  11. cue — a signal
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. perch — the fish
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. cue — a hint
  18. current — electric
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wax — to grow
  24. deal — a big deal

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