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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: object · cue · wax · squash · rush · charge · dip · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — a price
  3. object — to protest
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cue — a hint
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cue — for pool
  12. object — a thing
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. charge — in control
  17. rush — hurry
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. squash — the sport
  21. dip — to sink
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. object — an aim

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