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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: last · nail · chair · tube · rock · can · wax · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. last — finally
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. last — to go on
  5. rock — a stone
  6. tube — the underground
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. can — to be able to
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. chair — a leader
  12. rock — music
  13. can — a tin
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. can — a tin
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wax — to grow
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. tube — a container
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. last — final
  24. cue — for pool

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