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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 will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cue — a signal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cue — for pool
  10. craft — boats
  11. firm — steady
  12. mate — a friend
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. cue — a hint
  17. firm — decided
  18. mate — a partner
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. firm — a company
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. suit — clothes
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mate — to breed

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