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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 120 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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rest — a break
  4. wax — to grow
  5. spell — magic
  6. snap — to click
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cue — for pool
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. craft — boats
  20. spell — letters
  21. rest — what's left
  22. craft — a skill
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cue — a hint

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