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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · march · chair · wax · ball · object · racket · cue

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. object — an aim
  8. wax — to grow
  9. march — the month
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. chair — a leader
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cue — for pool
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. ball — a dance
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  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