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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. shower — rain
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rock — a stone
  14. shower — to wash
  15. club — a group
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rest — a break
  20. cue — for pool
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cue — a hint

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