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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: wax · arm · cue · rock · hand · mug · club · charge

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. club — for dancing
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — in control
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mug — a face
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mug — a cup
  11. rock — music
  12. cue — for pool
  13. charge — electricity
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wax — to grow
  17. hand — help
  18. mug — to rob
  19. club — a group
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. hand — in cards
  22. charge — a price
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. club — for golf

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