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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: cell · mouse · rule · staff · kick · wax · saw · present

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. saw — the tool
  4. present — a gift
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rule — government
  10. staff — employees
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. present — the time now
  17. staff — employees
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. kick — in football
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. staff — a stick
  23. wax — to grow
  24. present — there

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