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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.

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: cabinet · content · suit · cue · wax · race · staff · ball

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. content — happy
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. staff — employees
  7. cue — a signal
  8. content — the amount
  9. ball — a great time
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. race — humankind
  14. suit — to fit
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — a contest
  17. staff — employees
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. staff — a stick
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cue — for pool

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