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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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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: ground · stock · kick · ruler · dip · cue · bay · wax

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stock — goods
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. ground — the earth
  23. kick — in football
  24. wax — in the ear

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