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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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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: suit · cue · wax · board · field · patient · shower · mark

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cue — a hint
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. wax — to grow
  5. shower — rain
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. field — for sport
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cue — for pool
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. field — farmland
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. field — a subject
  20. shower — to wash
  21. board — a committee
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. patient — a sick person

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