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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 116 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: rule · tear · wax · stem · cue · suit · fine · bowl

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cue — for pool
  3. fine — all right
  4. tear — from crying
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cue — a signal
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. cue — a hint
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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