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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: cap · current · wax · lie · wound · stock · cue · rush

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stock — shares
  4. current — of water
  5. wound — an injury
  6. cue — a hint
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. current — electric
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cue — for pool
  15. wax — to grow
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stock — goods
  20. current — happening now
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rush — to hurry

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