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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 124 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wax — to grow
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. ball — a dance
  10. dip — to sink
  11. lean — to bend
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lean — thin
  19. cue — a hint
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cue — for pool

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