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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: cue · fan · wave · chair · rush · tube · stem · mate

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chair — a leader
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cue — a hint
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mate — a friend
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. mate — a partner
  13. tube — a container
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mate — to breed
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cue — a signal
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. cue — for pool
  24. rush — 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