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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cue — for pool
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. tube — the underground
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. scale — in music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — a hint
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tube — a container
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tube — in a tire

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