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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stock — goods
  4. row — a line
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bear — the animal
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to click
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. row — to paddle
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stock — shares

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