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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. file — a line of people
  3. object — a thing
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — farmland
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. object — to protest
  9. field — a subject
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. object — an aim
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wax — for sculpting

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