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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: wave · mate · cue · wax · jam · chip · fall · fine

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mate — a partner
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. mate — a friend
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. chip — to eat
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fall — the season
  17. cue — a hint
  18. fine — all right
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. jam — a tight spot

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