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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: key · cue · sharp · perch · cell · bank · cabinet · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. perch — the fish
  8. key — in music
  9. bank — of a river
  10. key — the most important part
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. key — for a lock
  13. sharp — clever
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. cell — in biology
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bank — for money
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. perch — for a bird

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