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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.

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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: cue · cell · press · bore · plane · lean · wax · rule

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cue — a signal
  3. plane — a tool
  4. press — newspapers
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. press — to push
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cue — for pool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rule — a law
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wax — to grow
  19. press — a publisher
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rule — government
  24. wax — for sculpting

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