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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: rule · pop · wax · toast · cue · mark · court · tube

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mark — a grade
  6. toast — bread
  7. tube — a container
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. cue — a hint
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. court — for sport
  15. rule — government
  16. pop — soda
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rule — a law
  19. pop — music
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rule — to rule out

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