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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 120 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: cue · bat · wax · firm · pop · tube · wave · suit

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. cue — for pool
  4. tube — a container
  5. pop — music
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bat — the animal
  8. firm — decided
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wax — to grow
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pop — to visit
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. cue — a hint
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — the underground
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pop — soda

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