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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 120 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: wax · trunk · cue · game · current · sharp · coach · rule

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cue — a signal
  7. current — electric
  8. rule — government
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cue — a hint
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. current — happening now
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rule — a law
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. game — a match
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wax — to grow
  24. current — of water

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