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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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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: bat · kid · cue · firm · leaves · can · wax · rash

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bat — the animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. rash — a series
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rash — hasty
  11. can — a tin
  12. wax — to grow
  13. firm — a company
  14. cue — a signal
  15. firm — steady
  16. cue — a hint
  17. kid — child
  18. can — a tin
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. cue — for pool
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rash — on the skin

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