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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cell · wax · foot · cue · sharp · chest · firm · can

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. firm — decided
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cell — a phone
  7. can — a tin
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — a measure
  11. chest — of your body
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. chest — of your body
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. chest — a box
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. firm — a company
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cue — for pool
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. firm — steady
  23. can — to be able to
  24. foot — the bottom

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