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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: rest · staff · arm · cue · mouse · bear · wax · board

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. board — a committee
  6. staff — employees
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bear — the animal
  11. board — to get on
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wax — to grow
  22. staff — employees
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bear — to put up with

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