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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: rest · pass · wax · prune · fan · cue · current · sharp

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. current — of water
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pass — a permit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. sharp — clever
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cue — a hint
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — for pool
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cue — a signal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. current — electric
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. current — happening now

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