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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. cue — for pool
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cue — a signal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. march — the month
  10. bass — low music
  11. spell — magic
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. spell — letters
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bass — the fish
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. spell — a short time
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bass — the instrument

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