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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: field · cue · prune · bass · wax · pass · court · bear

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. prune — to trim
  8. field — a subject
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. field — for sport
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. court — of law
  18. cue — a hint
  19. field — farmland
  20. court — for sport
  21. bass — low music
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. court — of a king
  24. wax — to grow

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