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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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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: wave · stand · wax · row · deal · charge · cue · bulb

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cue — a hint
  4. charge — a price
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. charge — electricity
  7. row — a line
  8. charge — in control
  9. cue — a signal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. row — to paddle
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wax — to grow
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. stand — on your feet

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