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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 116 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
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: can · tube · craft · cue · wax · fork · firm · court

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. cue — a hint
  3. firm — steady
  4. can — a tin
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. firm — decided
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. court — of law
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. can — a tin
  14. cue — a signal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. tube — the underground
  17. court — of a king
  18. fork — in a road
  19. tube — a container
  20. craft — boats
  21. court — for sport
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wax — to grow
  24. fork — a garden tool

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