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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: rash · chair · cue · firm · pitcher · date · safe · wax

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cue — a signal
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. cue — for pool
  8. firm — steady
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. firm — a company
  14. rash — hasty
  15. chair — a leader
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. firm — decided
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. wax — to grow

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