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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wax — to grow
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — temperature
  7. track — a path
  8. cue — a signal
  9. track — to keep track
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. can — a tin
  13. present — the time now
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. can — a tin
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. degree — an amount
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. can — to be able to
  21. object — a thing
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. object — to protest
  24. track — a song

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