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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wax · current · perch · kick · cue · hand · can · snap

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. current — happening now
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. cue — a hint
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. can — a tin
  9. wax — to grow
  10. hand — help
  11. snap — to click
  12. cue — for pool
  13. kick — in football
  14. can — to be able to
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. hand — in cards
  23. can — a tin
  24. cue — a signal

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