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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 120 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: cue · rule · tube · patient · calf · pound · squash · wax

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. squash — to crush
  2. tube — a container
  3. cue — a hint
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rule — government
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cue — for pool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rule — a law
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tube — the underground
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pound — for dogs
  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