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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: snap · pound · cue · rash · bear · wax · saw · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. snap — to click
  3. rash — a series
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. pound — a weight
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rush — hurry
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cue — for pool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rush — to hurry

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