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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: patient · rush · drill · rock · plane · cue · wax · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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. rule — government
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rule — a law
  7. cue — a hint
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wax — to grow
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rock — music
  22. cue — for pool
  23. drill — the tool
  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