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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. present — there
  4. bound — obliged
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. present — a gift
  7. rule — government
  8. cue — for pool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. game — a match
  11. cue — a hint
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rule — a law
  14. perch — the fish
  15. cue — a signal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bound — certain
  18. fine — all right
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. present — the time now
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bound — tied together

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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