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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: present · cue · wax · rock · mug · fan · rash · fall

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. cue — for pool
  4. present — there
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mug — a face
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fall — the season
  14. rash — a series
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rock — music
  17. cue — a hint
  18. present — a gift
  19. rash — hasty
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. wax — for sculpting

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