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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. band — a music group
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fine — high quality
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. vault — a safe
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. ruler — for measuring

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