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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. club — for golf
  6. spell — magic
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. mine — for digging
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. spell — letters
  17. cue — a hint
  18. club — a group
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. cue — for pool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. club — for dancing

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