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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. cue — a signal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rule — a law
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mug — a cup
  17. stem — to come from
  18. mug — a face
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. cue — a hint
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rule — government
  24. dip — to sink

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