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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. rock — a stone
  13. game — wild animals
  14. kick — in football
  15. rock — music
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. cue — a hint
  20. game — a match
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mark — a trace
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. cue — a signal

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