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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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. spell — magic
  3. swing — in golf
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bank — for money
  6. pop — to visit
  7. spell — a short time
  8. foot — a measure
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mine — for digging
  11. spell — letters
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. swing — music
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pop — soda
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pop — music
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mine — an explosive

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