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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.

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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: club · saw · nail · wax · dip · mark · cue · current

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. saw — the tool
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. current — electric
  9. cue — a hint
  10. dip — to sink
  11. club — for golf
  12. saw — the tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. current — of water
  17. club — for dancing
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mark — a trace
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. club — a group
  24. current — happening now

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