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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: jam · lie · rush · cue · spring · rule · wax · band

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. band — a ring
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rule — government
  9. wax — to grow
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a music group
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. spring — the season
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cue — for pool
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spring — a coil
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — a law

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