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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: cue · wax · foot · hand · nail · charge · lean · mate

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — thin
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — help
  8. charge — in control
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wax — to grow
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mate — a partner
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. charge — a price
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mate — to breed
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mate — a friend
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. hand — part of the body

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