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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.

Make a worksheet

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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cue — a signal
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bass — low music
  8. chair — a leader
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rush — hurry
  12. court — of law
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a plant
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. court — for sport
  18. root — of a word
  19. cue — a hint
  20. court — of a king
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bass — the fish
  24. key — for a lock

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