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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cap — of ice
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fine — all right
  6. wax — to grow
  7. cap — a hat
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cap — a lid
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. track — a song
  17. cue — a hint
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. track — a path
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. fine — high quality

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