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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: fork · suit · row · wind · wax · cue · fall · rock

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. row — a line
  4. wind — moving air
  5. fall — the season
  6. cue — for pool
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cue — a signal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. wax — to grow
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rock — music
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rock — to move gently

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