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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.

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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: wake · bear · cue · chair · mate · wax · charge · rule

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rule — government
  8. mate — to breed
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wax — to grow
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wake — a trail
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rule — a law
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. charge — a price
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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