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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. squash — the sport
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. plane — a tool
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wax — to grow
  13. can — a tin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. charge — a price
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bulb — for light
  19. can — a tin
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rock — a stone
  24. cue — a hint

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