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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fork — in a road
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. swing — music
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. clip — a video
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. clip — for paper
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bulb — for light
  21. clip — to cut
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. wax — to grow

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