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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. content — the amount
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wax — to grow
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. charge — in control
  15. cue — a signal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — a tool
  18. charge — a price
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. present — a gift
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. present — the time now
  23. cue — a hint
  24. content — happy

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