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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 120 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: kick · current · cue · staff · last · press · wax · can

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. press — to push
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. last — finally
  9. cue — for pool
  10. can — a tin
  11. staff — employees
  12. press — a publisher
  13. current — electric
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. current — happening now
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. press — newspapers
  19. current — of water
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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