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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. cue — a hint
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — a subject
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wind — moving air
  17. swing — to play on
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. field — for sport
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. lie — an untruth

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