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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cue — a signal
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. fall — to drop
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cue — for pool
  10. club — for golf
  11. wax — to grow
  12. club — for dancing
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. firm — a company

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