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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. net — in sport
  14. prune — to trim
  15. net — for catching
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. net — after costs
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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