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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.

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 · plane · fan · stick · rock · file · lie · wax

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. file — a tool
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. cue — for pool
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — to grow
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cue — a hint
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. file — a line of people
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. file — a document

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