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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: craft · clip · game · wax · plane · cue · rush · toast

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. craft — boats
  4. cue — a hint
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. toast — bread
  8. clip — a video
  9. wax — to grow
  10. clip — for paper
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a match
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. clip — to cut
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. craft — a skill
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. plane — a tool
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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