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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: root · snap · cue · wax · nail · bay · arm · pitcher

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wax — to grow
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. root — the cause
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. snap — to click
  24. nail — for a hammer

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