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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: cue · wax · scale · sharp · pound · rock · safe · trunk

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pound — a weight
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. scale — in music
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cue — for pool
  24. wax — to grow

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