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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: charge · wake · fan · ruler · wax · temple · roll · cue

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. roll — a list
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. charge — a price
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. charge — in control
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — for pool
  23. roll — a cake
  24. cue — a signal

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