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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: rush · swing · cue · kid · craft · wax · stem · coach

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. kid — child
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. craft — boats
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cue — for pool
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. kid — to tease
  19. cue — a hint
  20. craft — a skill
  21. swing — in golf
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. swing — music

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