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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: scale · wax · current · bore · deal · fan · rule · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rule — government
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. current — happening now
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. cue — a hint
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cue — for pool
  16. current — of water
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. current — electric
  23. rule — a law
  24. deal — to handle

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