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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. march — music
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. cue — a signal
  6. spell — magic
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. march — the month
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pound — a weight
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wax — to grow
  16. march — the month
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. spell — letters
  20. cue — a hint
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — humankind
  23. spell — a short time
  24. race — the arms race

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