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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: foot · rule · cue · wax · press · jam · patient · shower

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wax — to grow
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rule — a law
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. rule — government
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. cue — a hint
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. shower — to wash
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. press — to push
  20. cue — for pool
  21. shower — rain
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. press — a publisher
  24. foot — a measure

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