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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. swing — in golf
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cue — for pool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. swing — to play on
  8. wax — to grow
  9. mug — a face
  10. bear — the animal
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. swing — music
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. drill — army training
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cue — a hint
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wound — an injury
  24. drill — the tool

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