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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: mine · game · wax · race · rock · lash · suit · cue

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. cue — a hint
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. suit — clothes
  8. game — wild animals
  9. wax — to grow
  10. cue — a signal
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. race — humankind
  13. mine — for digging
  14. cue — for pool
  15. race — the arms race
  16. suit — to fit
  17. game — a match
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. race — a contest
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rock — music
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rock — a stone

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